A Colourless Life
by mirthless laugh
Summary: Set after GoF. The dark Lord has just returned, but only a few will believe it. As Tonks joins the Order of the Phoenix, she meets not only her biggest fears, but a werewolf called Remus Lupin.
1. The new Recruit

**Chapter One: **

**The New Recruit**

"Tonks! Hold the lift!" The booming voice made Tonks leap into action. She shot out both her arms just in time to have the doors bang painfully into them. She was both glad and distressed to find it was not just some other junior Auror or law enforcement officer, but one of her superiors, which she had risked amputation for. On one hand she had looked polite and ready to work beyond the call of duty (well she was known for her overactive imagination), on the other hand she now had to spend an entire lift ride with a superior, and try as hard as she could not to have what her Auror partner called 'word vomit'.

Tonks had been an Auror for a little under a year and she was still at the stage of trying to impress her bosses enough to be noticed. A hard thing to do when the biggest criminal out there to catch was your second cousin and you weren't allowed anywhere near the case. Even harder was hiding the fact that she happened to be rather clumsy and prone to spasms of pointless chatter. So in order to keep her secrets, well …secret, she decide the best thing to do was hold on to the railing and stare intensely at the level 4 button.

"Thanks, takes ages to come back down again. And I only have 15 minutes before the Chinese takeout stops taking orders." Tonks continued to stare, but grunted to show that she was listening, "Oh I have to say Tonks, I signed off on your report on Gilberto. Good work. I specially like the wide-range of coloured paper you used."

Tonks couldn't help herself she turned to look at her superior, with a shocked smile, "Well I just thought Gilberto's illegal international floo powder network needed brightening up."

Tonks superior, Kingsley Shackelbolt, gave a small chuckle that was just as deep as his voice, "Pity you can't work on the Black case with my team. You seem to have a lot of promise."

"Yeah right, about as much promise as you have hair." Oh God, there it was … 'word vomit'. Where was the emergency exit? Too late now it was already out lingering between her and Kingsley like the vomit it was.

To her shocked surprise he let out one hard 'ha'. "Well then don't believe me." With that said the doors opened on to the large atrium where Kingsley gave a curt wave before he disapparated.

* * *

By the time Tonks had arrived home with her Tesco microwaveable lasagne, the delight in hearing that her boss' did notice her hard work, had almost replaced her revolted shock that she had word vomited in reply to the complement. Her home was a little loft apartment in Notting Hill. It had a small bathroom to the left of the front door and a dividing wall between her bedroom and the kitchen-slash-living room-slash-foyer-slash-every other room that a house is meant to have. It may have been small but it was all Tonks needed and she had made it her own by painting the walls a bright purple.

Being no good at domestic spells, Tonks popped her dinner in the microwave. It was at this moment that Gaston tottered across the kitchen's short bench and pecked at Tonks hand. Gaston was a Tawny owl and had been a coming of age present from her parents. Even thought he was quite able to fly out the window and do his own hunting, he was much happier trotting around the apartment and waiting for Tonks to come home and fed him by hand. She knew that she spoiled him but Gaston was the only one ever waiting for Tonks when she came home and she couldn't help but in some sad way feel loved by this odd gesture.

Tonks turned on the Wizard Wireless after she fed Gaston pigeon breasts. She was hoping that she hadn't missed a news report on the results for the Tri-Wizard Tournament. She knew it was still early but she had heard about how well the two Hogwarts Champs had done so far and thought they may be in for a fast final task. The microwave 'binged' at the end of the new 'Dancing Giant's' song, the Dj assured listeners that there was still no news from Hogwarts and introduced an old 'Weird Sisters' song.

* * *

A chilly breeze cut through the uncommonly warm spring night air and made the shutters on an old run down house bang shut. The occupants seemed not to notice. A tall dark haired, rather attractive man paced around the room looking at the uneven floorboards, the thread bare armchair, sheets that were put up like curtains; anywhere but at his friend. His friend held his head in his hands, his eyes glazed over, "But…. Harry, he's…he's alright? Sirius?"

Sirius still didn't look at his friend but replied hastily, "Yes. Well, no. Harry seems physically fine, but he's a bit – he was there Remus, he saw that boy die!"

Remus felt his friends' steady gaze on him as if it burned through him. The news he had just heard filled him with a deep rooted coldness from his fingertips to his very inner soul. Remus dropped his hands from his head and looked up at his friend. As their eyes meet they both saw the coldness that had filled the other and an unspoken pact was made to never, say at least out loud, what this news meant for them.

"Dumbledore wants you to get the old group together," Remus said breaking the silence, "I think perhaps I should go with you. Most of them, all of them in fact, will think you're a murdering Death Eater."

Sirius gave a roguish grin, "Almost forgot about that. Who should we reveal your nightmare to first?"

"Diggle? At least I know he still lives in the same house – this is going to be a long night isn't it?"

"Not wrong there. Diggle it is." And with another wayward smirk Sirius disapparated.

* * *

It took Tonks a while before she could work out why she had woken up so early, but as Gaston was hardly a small bird it was hard to miss the fact that he was walking all over her chest. "Getoffme - you stupid bird." But Gaston continued to stamp her chest flat. Tonks then spotted the letter he had clasped in his beak. "Oi, I've got the point – I'm awake." Tonks took the letter from Gaston and not so gently pushed him off her now scratched chest.

_Auror Tonks,_

_A situation has occurred and you are required to report to the briefing room at 08:00 hours, for a debriefing. Late comers will be disciplined._

_Head of Auror Office _

_Rufus Scrimgeour_

Tonks jumped out of her bed as if it was on fire. If Scrimgeour was calling the troops in then it meant business, and there was no way Tonks wanted to be late. "This could be it Gaston; the big case that will make little old me, an Auror with a rep." In her plan to impress, Tonks put on her most un-torn jeans, a relatively boring patterned shirt under her bright red duffle coat, and she even wore her hair in a highlighted form of its natural mousy brown. With a piece of toast in hand Tonks bolted out of her door with a good 5 minutes before she needed to be in the briefing room.

"So, what it all comes down to," Scrimgeour concluded to the room full of Aurors, "Is that this Potter kid has come back from, Merlin knows where, holding the body of Amos Diggory's son Cedric. And the only explation we're getting from the boy is some cock and bull story about you know who returning. I might also remind you that Albus Dumbledore believes this story.

"So, Dawlish and Walsh, I want you to get together filling out the reports on Diggory's death. Of course, it's plain to see that this impostor Alistair Moody, Barty Crouch jr. was behind his death, and most likely the death of Crouch senior. But I'll leave you men to get it all written down for the record.

"The only thing this all means for the rest of you, is for you to be on the look out for and any vigilante groups that might feel that's it is better to believe Potter's story as Dumbledore does. I have straight from Fudge that this type of anti- Ministry behaviour will not be expected. If any of you hear of it – report it- I'll take it from there.

"Now if there aren't any questions, lets all get to work."

Scrimgeour, who was already turning back to his office, clearly did not want to hear any, questions no matter how valid they were. But as usual Tonks couldn't help herself, "But sir, it's Dumbledore – I mean it was only a few years ago that I was at Hogwarts and it always seemed to me that Dumbledore was pretty much in the know about ….well everything."

Tonks knew as soon as the words had left her mouth that every eye had turned to look at her, some in shock, and some in agreement, then others still in disgust. Scrimgeour turned to look at her directly, the anger in his face not hidden at all. "Nymphadora Tonks isn't it. The cousin of Sirius Black. As I have already said dear girl, Dumbledore has really started to lose it in these last few years, otherwise I'm sure that such a great wizard would not believe Potters deluded story."

"Well that's the other thing," Tonks pressed on, unsure of what was making her do so, "Why, when you know who killed his parents, would Harry potter make up a story in which you know who had gained back his power? I know the Prophet is saying he's the world's biggest attention seeker, but really it's easy to see that that's some shite Rita Skeeter making up for the papers. Sorry if I'm being critical of the ministry, but I just don't seem to be able to add it all up right."

Silence encased the room after Tonks rant had come to a close. No one seemed to even want to blink. Tonks eyes darted from person to person hoping for someone to talk and take the spotlight off her. It was then that she saw Kingsley. He was leaning on the door frame, looking as if he was proud and slightly amused that Tonks had stood up to the head of the Auror office.

"Miss Tonks," came Scrimgeour's slightly strained voice, "with relatives like yours I would be very careful of 'being critical of the ministry'. And if I'm not mistaken there is a large box of closed case reports to finalize in the file room. Hop to it will you."

Tonks dropped her head into her hands as the rest of her co-workers filed out of the room quietly muttering about the meeting.

"Tonks," Kingsley was still in the room standing by the door, "do you really mean all of that? Do you really trust Dumbledore over the happy little tales of the ministry?"

Tonks looked at Kingsley, had he really just said 'happy little tales of the ministry'? Was this a trick? Tonks decide it was best to be truthful. At least she would like to hear the other side of the story. "Yeah, yes."

Kingsley move forward and looked around the room to make sure no one was still the listening. "When He who shall not be named, was in power last time, I heard of a group towards the end of … well his dominance. They worked as a covert operation, a secret society, working with spies and uniting an under ground front that worked much more effectively then the ministry ever could. Dumbledore was it's head, I don't know if a similar group is being formed again, but if you really believe that there is more to this 'cock and bull story of Potter's' then ….perhaps this group might interest you?"

Tonks thought for a moment, she knew that Kingsley had just taken a big risk telling her about this group. Images of her mothers tear stained face as she read the last article of horror in the paper, of her father telling her that she was too young to worry about scary things that were happening just outside her house, of the moment years later when it had been her own aunts, her own uncles, her own family that created those horrific news paper headlines. She may have been young enough then to stick her head in the ground, but she'd be damned if she would do it again now. "I wouldn't care if I'd read it in the Quibbler, I'd track down any report that that monster was back."

Kingsley smiled at her conviction, "Great. Then I'll be happy to tell you that the 'Order of the Phoenix' is re-forming and needs people with your conviction and skills."


	2. An Order Ordeal

**A/N:** Hi! Although I will be happy enough to go ahead and write my story, let me first say that it's not really my story, but the lovely Joanna Rowling's. I'm just playing with it till she writes some more. Secondly, I always write faster with reviews, as long as they are constructive. So please tell me what you think. And I really hope not to leave such long gaps between updates, I'm very sorry.

**An Order Ordeal **

Lupin was standing in his one person capacity kitchen. He dropped a tea bag into the tea pot and sat it down on the tray with the other tea things. It had been a long night, and he still hadn't found the time to even fit in a small nap. Sirius and Lupin had been travelling all night, visiting one old friend after another. Many of then had tried to curse Sirius the moment they saw him, but the worst damage this inflicted was purple pus that had only just stopped flowing from his nose.

When Lupin entered the sitting room Sirius was leaning against the doorframe. He was in deep conversation with the other man in the room, Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore sat in a half collapsed arm chair, his robes in a deep blue, looked out of place in Lupins house of well worn earthy tones.

"It will be a hard mission," Dumbledore was saying, "but if anyone will be able to do it, Hagrid will. I just hope Hagrid knows when it's time to retreat."

"So do I. Remus, no milk. Two sugars." Sirius said just before Remus poured milk into all three mugs.

"Sorry Sirius. One day I'll remember."

"Ha. If you haven't got it yet I doubt you ever will," Sirius gave a small smile. "So that's what Hagrid is doing, but what I'd really like to know is what is Snivellus doing?"

The tension in the room rose at these words and Lupin sat, his eyes locked on Dumbledore, waiting for the answer. Dumbledore looked deep into his cup of tea contemplating his answer. Slowly it came, "Severus Snape. He is working as a spy for the order. He has my trust and that is all that need be known. I would expect you to be able to trust in my word and at least be civil to each other."

Although the comment was aimed at Sirius, Lupin felt that he too would have to remind himself to maintain an indifferent friendliness towards his old school rival.

"I would assume we will have meeting like last time. If Snape is to report at these, then we will need a rather private place?" Lupin asked.

"True." breathed Dumbledore.

"The house of Black," Sirius said staring out the window, as if he didn't like what he was saying, "It's mine now. Use it, I wont. It already has a fair amount of security charms on it."

"Your family house," Dumbledore considered, "it is a prime location…. The charms already on it as you said…. If you could tolerate it, the Order would be grateful?'

Sirius swept his hand through his hair, "Then use it."

Dumbledore got to his feet, "Well if that is the case, we must go there now and prepare it for the meeting we will have there in two days time."

* * *

Tonks sat at her desk singing along to the tune that had been stuck in her head all day. She had taken Kingsley up on his offer, even though a part of her thought she was crazy for doing it, and Tonks was now a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Well, an unofficial member till she was formally admitted at the first meeting which was that night. Kingsley had been around just that morning to tell her and now she could think of nothing else. She knew that at a time like this she shouldn't be so excited about joining a group that would put her in mortal danger, but she had always got a rush from danger and there was something in standing up and taking action that made her feel alive. 

She wasn't sure what or even who to expect at the meeting that night. Kingsley had asked her a lot about her mother's family, the Blacks, but older wizarding families often asked about her blood line. It had definately been a hurdle to her getting into the Auror department. Tonks assumed that there would be some in the Order that would find her blood line a problem. This was not a new problem for Tonks but she always felt a little disheartened by it. Even so the excitement from what she was getting herself into was too much to be taken away by the problems of her bloodline.

The office slowly cleared that afternoon and as six o'clock came closer Tonks felt the nervous excitement become just plain nervousness. Kingsley came over to her desk, "Ah, Tonks isn't it? A few of us are going for a drink tonight, why don't you take a break from working late and come with us?"

They had already worked out a strategy, Tonks and Kinsley couldn't seem any closer than what would be normal, or they would raise suspicion. The Ministry was already reporting that a small underground movement was planning to overthrow the Minster.

"Yeah," tonks smiled, "Sounds like a great idea. As it is I'm sick of this sodding report."

Together they walked out of the office and down the hall to the lifts. Tonks heart was beating hard. The gravity of what she was doing was only now hitting home.

As they stepped in to the lift Kinsley passed Tonks a small piece of paper. In a neat, curly script were the words,

_Number 12,_

_Grimmauld Place,_

_London_

_Welcome to the Order_

_Miss Tonks_

A cold shiver went up Tonks spine, she was sure she had heard of a number12 before, she went to say something to Kinsley but instantly her mouth went dry.

"Have you read it?" said Kingsley, "Then burn it."

"Sure, but I've heard of…" once again her mouth went dry at the words. _Filelius charm! _This meant that she really was part of the order. Tonks nervousness degenerated to all out dread. When she was this nervous her clumsiness was amplified ten times. Falling into a room was never a good first impression but more often then not it was people's first impression of her.

When the lift stoped at the Atrium, she stumbled out of the lift but remained upright. Kingsley gave her a reproving glance, "Let's go." And with a small crack he had.

Tonks swallowed hard, closed her eyes and focused, and disapparated.

When tonks opened her eyes she was still thinking of the address that had been on the small piece of paper. A large London town house was conspicuous between the houses next to it only by its grimy windows, but Tonks also felt overwhelming darkness that seemed to steal the last of the summer warmth right out of the air. The cold shiver ran down her back again, there was something very familiar about this. She stood next to Kingsley at the door. He knocked once. A sudden horrible thought ran thought Tonks mind as she stared at the twisted snake door knocker, _'What if this was a trap? What if Kingsley was a death eater? What if she was about to die?_ Her mouth went dry as the door opened just enough for a red haired, round faced women to peer around it. That's when Tonks noticed that Kingsley's face that had had a look of apprehension on it, now had a wide smile, "Mrs Wesley, if I've been informed right?"

The door opened to reveal a homely looking women whose smile was so contagious it couldn't help but spread to everyone else.

"Please. It's Molly." She whispered, "And I must ask you to be very quiet in the hall. There is a portrait that is best kept asleep."

"I'm Kingsley and this is Nymphadora Tonks." Kingsley introduced.

"Tonks! Just Tonks is fine." Tonks interjected.

"Ah, well, it's very nice to meet you both," Molly's eye's flicked up to Tonks bright pink hair, "What interesting hair, dear."

"Thanks,' Tonks said a little loudly. Molly's reminder to stay quiet was lost as Tonks stubbled over a large troll foot umbrella stand. The crash reverberated around the room until a curtain down the hall flew open emitting a loud shrieking voice.

"DIRTY MUD BLOODS AND BLOOD TRAITORS….."

Tonks head spun as she tried to work out was happening. Kingsley helped her to her feet before following Molly down to what Tonks could now work out, was the portrait that they were trying to keep asleep.

What Tonks couldn't work out, was, why the portrait looked like someone she had met, but before she could work out whom it was, the man in question came running out of the door at the end of the hall.

Tonks auror training took over before she had time to think. She charged at the man yelling, "Sirius Black, You are under arrest by charges brought against you by the Ministry of magic." A red light shot out the end of her wand and threw Sirius against the wall where he collapsed on the ground unconscious.

Several voices yelled her name. A hand clasped around her wand hand and another gripped her shoulder, then owner of the hands struggled to pull her away. All Tonks could think about were the times she had seen her mother upset about what her family had done to the world. Her father had called them 'dark spells', but Tonks had always worried that her mother would one day be so upset that she would start to forget who she was.

"….go explain to her Remus…"

"….some tea would do …"

"….It's not too bad, Black…"

Tonks started to take in the conversations as she was led thought the door at the end of the hall and down the stairs to a large basement kitchen.

"Nymphadora, how about you sit down here while I make you a cup of tea."

Tonks sat. She became aware of her surroundings now. The only other person in the room was a man in a shabby gray knitted jumper, his hair was a light brown with gray streaks, and that made Tonks think he was older the his face looked. She also noticed a few scars, she had a fleeting thought that he could be an ex-auror.

"Why wasn't anyone else trying to capture Black?" She had meant to ask the mans name first, but she had too many other questions to get caught up in pleasantries.

The man came over to her with a hot cup of tea and took a seat next to her, "The answer to that question is a long story."

* * *

Lupin had been right behind Sirius when they had ran up the stairs and had only a moment to realise what was happening before pulling Nymphadora down into the kitchen. The bright pink hair had thrown him at first but it was her dark sparkling eyes that he had recognised as a Black family trait. He had seen Sirius eyes sparkle just the same way in the days before Azkaban had stolen that spark from him. 

She had sat and pulled at a lose thread in her jumper as he told the story of Sirius' innocence, her eyes had focused on his, the mark of a good auror. The others had made it down into the kitchen and were all listening to Lupins story. Sirius sat with his head in his hands glancing up now and then to look at Nymphadora.

When he finished Lupin watched as Nymphadora took a sharp breath and flashed glance at Sirius, "So all this time I've been brought up to hate all my Black relatives and … and you're a good guy. Hope I didn't get you too bad?"

Sirius smirked, "Well you're an auror, so I don't feel too bad in saying, my head hurts like hell, thank-you."

Nymphadora laughed in a way that made her nose scrunch up. Lupin saw that her shoulders loosened as she relaxed. She reached for her tea and at the last moment fumbled and sent the now cold tea spilling across the table.

Lupin caught the mug before it rolled off the table and swept his wand cleaning the mess before it had time to stain, "Another tea then, Nymphadora?"

She grimaced at the sound of her name, "Tonks! Please. That name ….. Well it's horrible and I don't know what my mother was thinking."

"No, when Sirius told me he had a little cousin called Nymphadora, I couldn't believe it, it's such a pretty name."

Nymphadora then gave Lupin the most un-nymph like look he had ever seen, "I'll try to remember to call you Tonks."

Just at that moment the door at the top of the stairs opened to admit Dumbledore in robes of deep purple. Close behind him was Severus Snape looking, in Lupins opinion, a little worse for wear. The room went quiet with and odd sort of expectancy. This was the Order of the Phoenix.


	3. Better then a Tesco

**A/N: **Sorry it's been so long. I've been travelling the world again and without a computer for some time. But now I've got myself a lap top I'm ready to travel and write. Deathly Hallows came out the other day and when I finished reading it I was moved to come back to my little tale of Tonks and Lupin. So please read and review, let me know that people are still reading.

**Chapter 3 : Better then a Tesco's Dinner.**

The meeting itself had taken a good few hours. First everyone was brought up to speed on who was who, and what action was already being taken. Tonks had tried even harder then usual not to fidget, when her old potions teacher, Snape, had stood up and told of how he had reclaimed the trust of the Dark Lord and once again assumed the role of spy for the Order. Tonks had always heard the rumours that the head of Slytherin had been a Death Eater, she had to admit that she now found herself struggling to trust him as readily as she had trusted Sirius. Dumbledore seemed to trust him and she decided that this would have to be enough for her to trust him too. The meeting wrapped up with an invite from Molly for everyone to stay for dinner. Tonks who had nothing better then another Tessco's microwave meal waiting at home, decide it would be best for the wizarding community and her diet, to stay.

Not many others stayed but the addition of Molly's children meant that there was still quite a large group sitting around the large kitchen table. Molly started to yell introductions across the room as her children began setting the table for dinner, "…. of course you would know Bill, and Charlie they were a year either side of you at school." Tonks had noticed Charlie the old Quidditch champ in the meeting, who had in fact been in her year at Hogwarts, as well as the dreamy Bill who had once been the Head Boy. "Then after them we have our twins Fred there with the plates and George has the knives there." Tonks tried to see if there was some sort mark to tell them apart, but could see none. "Ron's my youngest boy, but the youngest of the lot is my daughter Ginny." A girl with bright red hair that matched her brothers, sat down on the other side of Tonks, and gave a smile that was just like her mothers.

"Wow, I love you're hair. I think I'll have to steal it." said Tonks.

Ginny raised an eyebrow, " It's all yours. I'd love to have people stop calling me 'Ginger Ginny'"

Tonks scrunched her face up and shook her head until her hair fell into a long mass of ginger locks. " You just tell me who they are and I'll show them."

Ginny turned to look at her and with a shriek of amazement burst into a fit of giggles.

"You're a metamorphous!" Lupin said from her other side.

" Well yeah. Why else would they let the clumsy second cousin of Sirius Black in to the Aurors?"

"No way you're an Auror!" Ron yelled.

"Your Sirius cousin?" yelled Ginny.

"Can you Morph into _anything_?" yelled Fred

Molly stepped in before the twins could start yelling requests. " All of you stop that right now! Remember that Nymphadora is a guest here and-"

"It's Tonks! It's just Tonks."

"Well Tonks you make sure that you come round for dinner whenever you want. There is all ways room for one more when Molly's cooking." Arthur Weasley said from the end of the table where he was sitting next to Sirius.

"Yeah it would be great to have girl to talk to besides Mum." said Ginny, " And Hermione isn't going to be here for another week."

" She's getting here in 5 days actually, Ginny." Ron said. Tonks looked at Ginny with raised eyebrows. Ginny returned the look with a knowing smile..

The rest of the night passed in much the same manner and Tonks relaxed in the friendly family atmosphere. Tonks had only once sat at such a large family dinner, a ex-boyfriend of hers who had been one of four boys. She had sat at that dinner a scared girl of 16 waiting for her boyfriends parents to throw her out of the house for being a Black. They never had, but she had felt there disapproving looks all night.

Now as she sat with the Weasley in her relatives house, she began to feel what it would be like to be part of a family. She had been an only child just like her father was, and her mother had not see any of her family since she left to marry her father. It had only ever been the three of them after her muggle Grandparents had died. Tonks liked the feeling of such a large family and thought to herself that she would one day want to have such a family of her own, she only hoped that her husband would be a better cook than herself.

* * *

Remus had watched Nymphadora thorough out the night. He was quite struck with her sense of joy and freedom. There were things that he had once loved so much in his old school friends, and seeing them again made him feel quite young again. 

At the end of the night they had stood up and walked to the door together. As they steeped out into the evening air Remus asked, "Where do you head now?"

Tonks drew in a deep breath of the crisp night air before answering, "Not far. Just up to Notting Hill. I could walk there if I wasn't so bloated from the best meal I've had in weeks."

Remus let out a small chuckle.

"What about you?" asked Tonks.

"Well I ate with them last night too, so I've just added to the bloated-ness of yesterday." Remus had known that she had meant where was he going, but his tongue seemed to be working by itself. Saying anything that it thought would make this pretty girl laugh.

It worked. She laughed in the way that she had earlier, making her nose scrunch up and her whole face light up. Remus heart lunched.

" Ha, Ha. But that's not what I meant." smiled Tonks, " Where are you off to now?"

"To a tiny little shack up in the Yorkshire moors. Where it's safe for me." Remus said the last bit with a sad smile.

Tonks tried her own smile, but it didn't quite make it, "That has to be tough. Growing up with it. But hey, we all have our demons. And you're still a nice guy after all this time." Tonks taped Remus softly on his arm.

Remus was a little confused as to how to answer a girl who had just made the fact that he was a werewolf, sound like a nasty rash. " Yes, we do. Well best be off. Can't stand around here all day."

"Yeah, see ya soon Remus."

"Lets hope so Nymphadora."

Tonks turned to correct him, but Remus had already disapparated.

* * *

As Tonks bounced off to work the next day with the knowledge that she was now part of the order, up in Yorkshire Remus Lupin woke with well known aches and pains that were a sure sign that, that night would bring a full moon. He pulled his stiff body from his bed and began his daily ritual off sitting with a cup of tea and planning the day ahead. Night fall would be around 9pm and he would make sure he was deep within the forest that was to the west of his shack. He knew if he was to stay in his shack that he would end up with no furniture at all. If he went to the east of his shack into the farmland that spread over the moors, he would once again attack the sheep that grazed there. He decided that it was best to set out at seven and travel as far as he could before the moon took over his senses. So for the rest of the day Remus went about re laying the slate tiled roof. 

"Kingsley will definately be a great help. It's pretty amazing that he's only an Auror. He's got a real diplomatic streak in him." Remus said to Sirius that afternoon.

Sirius had drooped around looking for a bit more peace as the Order began to take over the Black family home in the form of the Weasley family. Sirius wasn't quite sure that re-tiling a roof was what he had in mind, but at least he was getting some fresh air.

"Yeah, but he can't be that good an Auror. He's meant to have been looking for me this past year." Sirius said.

"Hmmm. Well you know if you keep popping up to visit me like this someone might just spot you."

"Here! No ones going to see me here. Unless, ministry officials have been turning themselves in to sheep and moving to Yorkshire, then I really don't think there is much to worry about."

Remus shook his head, "Dumbledore said that it was imperative that you stay inside Headquarters. He said that you must remain unseen. Besides it would be helpful to always have an Order member there in case of an emergency."

"Right! Do you want me to leave now! Tell me would you like to sit in that mouldy old house day after day?... No ones seen me here yet, so can you at least let me have a few more days of freedom."

Remus looked at his friend who stood with a tile in his hand, the light breeze flicking his dark hair into his face. He had been locked up for so long it seemed to cruel to push him into another prison. "I'm not going tell you to do anything. But when the day comes for you to put caution first…. I just hope you will."

"I will." Sirius smiled and wedged the tile into place. " My cousin, Tonks, she seems to have a good aim. She be good to have around."

Lupin felt a small smile creep on to his face at the mention of Tonks. He wasn't quite sure why, he'd only just meet her, and the girl had to be at least 10 years younger then him, not to mention he was a werewolf and destined to a life of solitude.

"Yes she would certainly brighten things up. Fits right in with the Weasleys." said Remus, hoping that it sounded indifferent.

"Maybe her and Bill will hit it off."

Remus dropped the tile he had in his hand and it slid down the roof and shattered as it hit the ground.


	4. Should Have Stuck to a Tesco's Dinner

**AN:**Well here you go everyone chapter 4 is here. I've got to Thank you for Everyone who has reviewed or added my story to your alerts. It really does make me want to write faster when I know that people want to read my story. So keep it up, let me know what you think of the next Chapter... and I'm already working on the next Chapter.

**Chapter 4: Should have Stuck with the Tesco's Dinner**

Over the next several days Tonks made her way over to number 12 for dinner numerous times. On most occasions the party was made up of the Weasleys, Sirius, herself and Remus Lupin, (moon cycle permitting). The addition of Ron's school friend Hermione Granger, made Tonks feel as if she had steeped back in time and was a student at Hogwarts again. The feeling was only enhanced when one of the Weasley or Hermione would call Lupin, Professor.

"Why do you they call you that?" Tonks had asked, after Ginny had once again called Remus, Professor Lupin.

Hermione answered before Lupin could, "Professor Lupin was our Defence against Dark Arts teacher in our third year. Best one we ever had, but he only stayed the year."

Tonks smiled over at Remus, the smallest hit of a blush creeping into his cheeks, she politely looked away.

Sirius shook his head, "If only Snape hadn't let it slip…. I think you could have at least lasted another year, before it came out some other way."

"No, way." said George

"Everybody knows…" said Fred

"The job's cursed." finished George

Tonks gave a sharp look back at Sirius, "Wait, Snape did what, with the who-what-now?"

Remus, foreseeing an old argument, gave a deep sigh, "Now look, there is no reason for you to -"

"Snape!" Sirius began to talk over Remus as if he wasn't there, "The slimeball that he is let _slip _to some of the Slytherin students that Remus here, is a werewolf. Next thing you know the whole bloody school knows."

Remus looked directly at Tonks "Nymph-"

"It's Tonks, Remus." Tonks said with the air of a mother telling off her misbehaving child.

The small sort of blush rose again in Remus cheeks and Tonks wondered if she had been overly forceful in her manner. "Sorry, Tonks, as I was saying. You shouldn't let Sirius fill your mind with any rubbish that he will tell you about Severus Snape."

Tonks rolled her eyes and snorted, something that she instantly realised was un- attractive and not the most polite thing. She heard her mother's voice telling her that _that is not the way a real lady behaves_. The pure blood socialite had never totally disappeared out of her mother. "First, Snape was my Potions teacher all through Hogwarts, and my mind is made up, he's a git. And a world class one at that, but I am also convinced he's on board with Dumbledore.

"Second: why should it matter who knows?"

Lupin looked hard at Tonks. She watched as his eyebrows moved closer together and his eyes moved ever so slightly from left to right watching her eyes. The creases in his brow oddly disfigured by an old scar, his mouth muttered soundlessly.

Finally Remus spoke very softly, "No parent wants to send there child to a school where one of the teachers turns into a life treating monster once a month. And I tend to agree with them."

The sad smile, that Tonks had seen the night of her first Order meeting, moved across Remus face again. It would be a smile that Tonks would learn to hate one day, but for now it pulled at her heart making her see just how isolated this man felt.

"Right" Molly's voice pulled Tonks from her thoughts. She had hardly noticed that the rest of the room had been caught up in her conversation with Remus, it was only now that Molly began to clear the plates, that other conversations started to fill the air again. Molly kept talking over the accumulating noise, "I've got pie for puddings tonight. Who's going to help me serve it up?"

Tonks now seeing her exit out of her awkward situation, jumped to her feet. "I will." Unfortunately she had somehow become entangled in her chair in her rush to help. First she bumped into the table sending cascades of butterbeer, rose wine, and water over the table from various cups and bottles. Then, backing away from the mess on the table that now began to trickle to the floor, Tonks backed right into the pies, sending them crashing to the floor. Molly dashed forward in a futile attempt to save the pies, a loud moan of disappointment came from Ron and Charlie, a squeal escaped Hermione's lips, Ginny, Bill and Sirius all laughed openly and loudly, while Remus and Author tried hide their smiles.

"Don't worry mum will help clean it up." Fred and George yelled out, the two of them sending bits of pie flying about the room.

Tonks pulled herself up from the crumpled mess she had made on the floor, a new tear in her jeans and a look of horror on her face.

Molly gave Tonks a swift steely look before rounding on her twin boys, "Oi! You two! Stop that right now or you wont be seeing those wands again till you're at Hogwarts and I owl them too you! I said stop it!!…."

Hermione, Ginny, and Ron practically run from the room, Sirius not far behind them muttering about feeding something called Buckbek, while Bill and Charlie both turned to their father and started a forced conversation which had them all looking mysteriously in the opposite direction to the now, all out arguement happening in the room. Remus stood up, said a thank you for the dinner, that would never have been heard and then grabbed Tonks hand and led her out of the house.

With a small surprise, in amongst all the chaos, Tonks felt a slight tightness in her stomach. Tonks tried franticly, in the short distance between the kitchen and the front door to work out where such a feeling came from. In the end deciding it was the fact that Remus was saving her from her self made chaos and nothing more. Pushing from her mind the idea that it had something to do with the way his hair fell across his face, or the way his amber eyes lit up he really laughed.

* * *

Remus Lupin had never had a steady girlfriend. In all his 35 years he had not once kept a girlfriend for longer the a month. It wasn't that he had never found a girl that he liked enough. No, there had been a few girls that he had day dreamed about for months, some of them had even returned his feelings. He had watched these girls slowly slip from his reach and inevitably from his life. Reminding himself all the time that these girls would have a safer and much happier life without him. Remus had long ago given up on the idea that he would find such a life as that of the girls he let slip away. 

Yet despite his inexperience with the ladies, he had been around long enough to know the signs that he was developing what one would call a high school crush, on Tonks. It was in his relief that Bill had a beautiful girlfriend, that he had finally admitted to himself that the said crush existed. Because if Bill had a girlfriend, then there was no chance that Tonks and Bill would hit it off, as Sirius had suggested.

When Tonks had once again seen Remus' condition as a mere technicality, his heart had leaped for joy. The idea that any girl he fancied could think that he was just as normal as the next man, that she could think nothing of his condition, made him feel light and free, if only for a moment. And it was only for a moment, because he soon had told her why the parents of Hogwarts students wouldn't want him as a teacher. He had watched as her face fell and she began to understand just how dangerous he was.

Remus' dark reflective mood had not stayed around for long, as he watched Tonks leap up and become entangled in her chair. The room soon feel into chaos, the Weasley twins, now of age, helping only to enhance the chaos when they started to use their newly legal magic. Remus tried not to laugh when he saw the look of horror on Tonks face. She was glued to the spot, looking terrified of Molly.

An instinct to get far away from Molly when she was in such a sate, kicked in. And without thinking Remus had walked out of the room grabbing Tonks hand and lead her to the front door. His rush to leave the softness of Tonks hand, the tightness that came across his chest, and the way his hand instantly started to sweat, did not go unnoticed by Remus.

It was a relief to feel the cool summer night air on his face. He dropped Tonks hand as if it had been burning him, not daring to linger holding it.

Tonks seemed to relax once outside a shy smile creeping across her face.

"You didn't hurt yourself did you?" Remus could hardly keep the concern from his voice.

Tonks looked down at her knee where the new rip in her jeans, now had a dark red stain to accompany it. She bent down and pulled open the hole, to reveal a small graze that had already stopped bleeding, with a broad smile Tonks said, "I think we may need to amputate."

They both laughed.

"Sorry for just dragging you out like that."

"No, it's fine, thank-you for saving me like that. Molly is never going to let me near the kitchen again. Sorry I ruined the pie."

"That's alright. I have been getting used to having a pudding, but I'm sure I'll live without one."

"Well," said Tonks, "we could go over to Leicester Square, and get some Häagen Daz."

Remus' mouth went dry. Tonks wanted to go somewhere with him, just the two of them. He knew that she was not interested in him other then as a friend. How could she be, he was a werewolf and a good 10 years older then her, what would a young, amazing girl, who had so much going for her, ever see in him. What harm then, would it do to go for ice-cream with her, if all she wanted was friendship? "That sounds like a great idea."

And then with two soft cracks they were on there way.


	5. Inclinations, Inquisitions, and

**AN:** Hey Guys thanks for all the reviews! This chapter is a bit of a longer seeing as the last few have been a little short.

I must say to those who are better spellers then me, sorry for the mistakes. My Mum is my usual editor, but alas, I'm over the other side of the world from her at the moment. I will see her soon and all edits will be made. Future chapter will be cheeked before posted, but for now, bear with me. I'm dyslexic, so I can read a mistake 10 times and my mind still tells me that it is, what it should be.

Oh and Häagen-Düs, for those Aussies and others who don't know, is a brand of ice-cream. They even have whole restaurant where all they serve is ice-cream.

Enjoy. Esther.

* * *

Inclinations, Inquisitions, and Ice-creams.

In the distance the smallest sliver of sun still starched out along the horizon, smudges of pink and purple streaked the sky and danced off the windows of the surrounding city. In the opposite direction the dark blue of night pushed forward hungrily consuming what remained of the days light. The air was still warm. It instilled a lazy feeling even in the heart of London, the crowd of people walked slower and without purpose. Behind a large pile of rotting garage two people appeared out of thin air, on such a lazy night their appearance went unnoticed.

"Merlin, I love London on nights like this." Tonks spread her arms out, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. She coughed slightly after breathing in nothing but the smell of garbage.

"I can't really say I've ever spent much time in London." said Remus, " I did spend a fair amount of time in St Mungo's when I was a child but you can't really count that."

"Really? London's been my home for the past four years. At first you hate it, but then one day you wake up and realise that you have come to love every facet of this place."

Tonks was telling the truth, she really could not imagine living life anywhere else. London had charmed her, somewhere between the many trips back to her parents, and the teary floo calls to her mum, that had made up her first few months. It was now up to her mother to call her and the house she grown up in became less and less like home. And yet as much as she loved London, he had never really found somewhere to call home there. She wondered if anyone ever found somewhere that felt as much like home as the place they grow up in? Or was it just Tonks? Would she be forever chasing the idea of home?

Tripping on a bump in the pavement, Tonks was stopped from falling flat on her face when Remus caught her arm and pulled her to her feet. Once again Tonks felt the tension pass between them when they touched. Tonks wasn't even sure what had made her invite him out for ice-cream. She was drawn to him and she didn't seem to be able to stop herself from going with that instinct.

"So," said Tonks slowly, "If you spent time at St Mungo's when you where a child, does that mean that you got bitten back then?"

Remus nodded slowly, "Yes. When I was quite young."

"So you've had to live with it your whole life?"

They where now at the front of Häagen-Daz, both of them joined the take out queue without even thinking about it. "Yes. When I went to Hogwarts, my parents spoke to Dumbledore, and he worked out a place for me be contained during the full moon. Of course my friends worked it out by the third year and by the fifth they had all become animagi, so then they could come and be contained with me."

Tonks listen intently. She found the whole thing fascinating, rather than alarming. The latter being the more common feeling about werewolves. But then Tonks had never been one to have common anything.

They placed their order with the tired looking girl behind the counter, who seemed to have only a basic grasp on the English language. Both of them went for rich chocolate mixes.

"So that's how Sirius came to be able to change into a dog. Ah. … So what then? What did you do after Hogwarts?"

They picked up their ice-creams and started to walk towards Trafalgar square. Tonks was uncommonly quite as she listened to Remus. He told her of the many short lived jobs he had since Hogwarts. He told her no matter where he travelled up and down the country, when people found out he was a werewolf, they wanted nothing to do with him and often hurled abuse at him. One of his longest jobs was at Hogwarts, where once again it was Dumbledore who was able to hide his condition. "…But it was a mistake. It was always too much of a risk."

Tonks now understood just how bad the public hatred for werewolves was. Sure a better understanding was starting to come about, but all too slowly. Tonks had learnt extensively about werewolves in her Auror training. They had always been told to capture or ward them away from populated areas, and never to attack a werewolf. The teaching was based on the fact that werewolves were people too, and it was not there fault, nor could they be legally held responsible for their actions on a full moon.

"I can't believe people are so ignorant of the facts in this day and age. If it's any consolation I think it just makes you all the more interesting. Not scary at all."

They had walked as far as the north bank of the Thames now and were leaning against the railing, empty ice-cream cups in hands. Night had taken full control of the skies now and darkness hang just above the many lights of the city. The river Themes could be hared light lapping the bank, the water only visible as the lights reflection bounced off the small waves. Tonks let the wind whip at her hair and cheeks, chilled from the near by water. She looked over at Remus to find his gaze on her. He quickly looked away.

Before Tonks register what had happened, Remus half asked Tonks half asked the railing in front of him, "So when's your next shift?"

Still a little throw at catching Remus staring at her she stammered, "Err….it's tonight. I take over from Emmelie in an hour or so."

"I'm on tomorrow. Sirius was trying to convince me to let him go instead."

"Yeah that would be good if a ministry worker found him guarding the door of the ministry of mystery."

"Exactly," said Remus, "He's even more annoyed, that he's not going to be part of the group who go to pick up Harry."

"Yeah I noticed he was a bit moody at the last order meeting when we were talking about it."

"Are you coming?" Remus asked even thought he had see half the order volunteer, but watched with a bit of disappointment when Tonks hand had not gone up.

"Nah…. I just get in the way, I'm not really known for my stealth. I don't even know Harry."

"You should come, everyone else is, and I'm the only one who actually knows Harry."

"Really."

"Yeah, and Mad Eye was saying to me just the other day that with one more person we could have a much stronger flying formation."

"Yeah, then count me in. I've always wanted to meet the 'boy who lived'." Tonks smiled at Remus. For a moment as their eyes meet neither could look away. The world around them continued in its slow lazy pace, but two figures stood in the night stuck in time, as if they had fallen into some other world, but left their bodies behind.

Finally Remus looked away shaking his head and mumbling to himself. Tonks barely noticed this, she was so caught up in her own thoughts. She was now past denial, and was sure that any tightness in her stomach was not from Remus saving her from embarrassing situations, but more likely from his gentle and kind sprit. Maybe it was the calmness that he seemed to radiate. He had a totally relaxed attitude to not knowing what would happen to him from one day to the next, but caring deeply for what happened to the people around him. His own burden gave him a dark mysterious depth that hardly fitted with the rest of his personality. All this drew Tonks to him.

She looked at her watch, more for something to do than a need to know the time. "Crap!," she gasped, "I didn't realise that it was so late. I've got to go. Emmelina is going to kill me."

"That's all right, you go. I might go back and see if everything has calmed down at the Headquarters. Thank you for the ice-cream. I'll pay you back the muggle money soon."

"Don't worry about it. I am the one who smashed the pies, and then you did save me. Thanks again for that. I'll see you soon."

Then Tonks disapparated, the last thing she saw was Remus smiling face.

* * *

Now back at the Headquarters, the dust had settled. The kitchen was back to its usual sate, Molly and Authur sat with mugs in front of them talking to their eldest two boys. They all looked up when Remus walked in. Molly gave a glace to the door as if expecting someone else to walk in as well. 

"Remus," said Author, "Where did you go off to?"

"And what's happen to your friend that you took with you?" asked Molly.

Remus was caught off guard and felt his cheeks begin to burn. He was sure no one had noticed that he left with Tonks, especially Molly. No matter how innocent Remus told himself, ice-cream with Tonks was, he was sure that others might see it differently.

"Ah…. Yes… we… that is to say I, went for ice-cream." The four faces at the end of the kitchen table all look at him with quizzical looks. Remus showed them the empty ice-cream cup, and kept talking trying to pull himself together. "Tonks…. Well we went our separate ways at the front door. Ah.. Well… Sirius around? I just came back for a quick word with him?"

Charlie whispered something to Bill and they both broke out in fits of laughter. Molly shot daggers at them.

"Last I saw he was upstairs in the drawing room, mulling over a scotch." said Authur.

Remus dashed out of the room, escaping from Bill and Charlie's continuing laughter, and made his way through the grimy hall and up the stairs. The house was still suffering from years of neglect. Sirius and Remus had cleaned the kitchen out as best they could, in time for the first order meeting. As soon as Molly had seen the sate of the house she had been like a women possessed, her mind set on cleaning every inch of the old house.

Remus did find Sirius in the drawing room. A thick layer of dust covered the floor. Unsettled patches where Sirius had been walking were clearly visible around the room. Obviously a room Molly had not come to yet. Like the rest of the house , the room had a musty smell. The darkly painted walls and the overwhelming aura of gloom, gave the impression that the walls where closing in on the occupants, threatening to swallow them up.

Remus' oldest friend, sat spread out in a armchair, a glass dangled from one of his hands, his face a mask of bored sadness, his stare set on a point outside the room. The embarrassment that had driven him from the kitchen drained out of Remus as he took in the sight of his friend. Sirius was a man of action and to be stuck in a house, unable to be involved in any action further then cleaning, depressed him deeply. The blow that he was to be left out from the plans to move Harry to the headquarters, did nothing but pull Sirius deeper into his sate of melancholy.

A deep sigh came from Remus as he made his way over to the couch opposite his friend, only then did he turn to look at him. Slowly focus came back to his eyes and Sirius flashed Remus a roguish grin, "I thought you took off. What brought you back to this hell hole?"

Remus wondered if perhaps he should address Sirius moody behaviour, but thought better of it. There would come a time when it had degenerated even more and until then Remus was reluctant to get into that conversation. "I needed a word with you."

Sirius sat forward, "Word away."

Remus took a moment to think about how to phrase the question, "When a _someone_ tells you that a _something_ makes you more interesting then what do they mean, per se?"

"Well," Sirius could hardly keep from laughing, but continued, " Firstly, what's her name?"

"It's not like that!," Remus was betrayed by his burning red cheeks.

Sirius put on a show of mock belief, "If you say so. But it really depends on the situation. I mean let's say _someone_ tells you that your brown shirt there makes you more interesting, well, firstly they are lying. Secondly, they could be trying to be diplomatic and side step the fact that the shirt just makes you look like you have no style."

Blackly, Remus look at his shirt, then again at Sirius, "It wasn't my shirt that she was talking about."

Sirius began to chuckle, "Wow, you haven't come to me for advice on girls since 7th year. What was her name then…..Ann…..Ann something…. Plegder? ….Palmer? Yeah Ann Palmer."

Remus let out an exasperated breath. "This is nothing like then. It was my condition."

A puzzled look swapped places with the amused, on Sirius face, "Hang on my friend. Your condition told you that something made you?- Oh wait I see, a girl told you-" Sirius eyebrows shot up as he put all the piece together. "_A Girl_ told you that you _condition _made you more interesting?"

"In fact she said _all the more interesting._" added Remus somewhat reluctantly.

A bark of a laugh came from Sirius, followed by his most roguishly knowing grin, "My dear friend, that means that this lucky little lady is even more turned on by the fact that your are a werewolf." Remus said nothing, but sat with his eyes wide, mouth a gape, and face bright red. "Who is she?" Sirius tried again.

Remus stood up, "Well….ok…so that's all I wanted to ask about. I'll be by tomorrow before my shift at the ministry."

"Is it that nice lady from the werewolf registration office? … no she didn't like men….there are no girls in the group from that pub you go to- not unless it's the barmaid….yeah but she's a muggle hardly likely to work out you're a werewolf….. It McGonagall isn't it? Hahaha….. Nah dating a teacher that's too creepy…someone you meet recently- Ohhhhhhh…..I've got it. Oh I'm so right."

Remus who had stood rolling his eyes through all of Sirius' wild guessing, now stood very still. Sirius had know him a long time and was able, even at school, to work out who all his friends had fancied. Granted Remus had always been the biggest challenge. If Sirius said Tonks right now, Remus was sure he would not be able to deny it.

"You fancy my little cousin Dora. Don't you?" Sirius was already praising himself for his genius.

Remus plonked himself back down on the couch, sending clouds of dust about the room. "I'm too old for her. I'm too boring. I'm a bloody werewolf. When I know there can't be any long term commitment then why am I even looking down this road, let alone going down it?"

"Easy, you're a man."

"And a wolf."

"Remus, you need to get over that rubbish! You've been dealing with turning into a monster every full moon since childhood. You handle it well. Tonks strikes me as the type of girl that could handle the fact that her husband-"

"Husband! Husband!," Remus shoot to his feet again, "This is just a fancy."

Sirius looked calmly at his friend. "It's more that that. You like her, and from what little you told me she likes you. She's got to you. More then Ann Palmer or any of the other girls ever did. And you know why? Because she knows your secret, and she likes you all the more."

The only sound in the room was Remus' deep breathing as he absorbed the startling truth of Sirius words. His eyes fixed on the dusty floors until, suddenly, before Remus could muster any response to Sirius, the door creaked open. A small mouldy looking creature shuffled into the room.

"Oh look," muttered the house elf, "there is the werewolf. Dirty filthy creature. Not fit to be in this house."

Sirius looked livid. "For the love of Godric Gryffindor!"

"Kreacher would never love Godr-"

"Kreacher you foul useless dust ball, I order you to crawl back into whatever hidey hole you came out of."

The elf left the room now muttering about what a ungrateful little brat Sirius was.

"Moony look, that useless elf is full of rubbish. Don't listen to it." said Sirius heading into another mood swing.

"Yeah. Look I've got to go, anyway. I wont get any sleep tomorrow night and I've been so busy between fixing up my shack and all the things I've been doing for the order… well I'm pretty beat."

"Yeah, must be tough having to really be part of the order."

"Sirius." said Remus wearily.

"I know. I know. It's for my safety. I got it." Sirius got up and walked his friend to the door.

* * *

In another part of London, deep underground, Tonks cursed as the magic ran out of her M.P.W. (mini, portable, wireless.). The thing was so small that it needed a separate charging device. A small metal stand with two mirrors. You simply had to put the small wireless between the two mirrors and aim a recharge spell at it. The spell would bounce between the two mirrors hitting the wireless over and over again. After about an hour the wireless would be fully charged and ready to play any of the songs you charmed into it. Tonks however continual forgot to recharge her M.P.W. and so once again, a deafening silence fell over the hallway to the Ministry of Mystery. 

Tonks sat with her back up against the wall, a perfect disillusionment charm helped by the fact that she had turned her skin the same colour as the walls. Her small M.P.W. was now tucked back into her pocket. Grading a prophecy that was critical in the fight against you-know-who, sounded far more exciting then it was. Far, far, more exciting.

A bit like her Job, thought Tonks. Her mentor and Auror who she did her first year placement with, Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, had told her stories that made Tonks believe that being an Auror would be just as action-packed as she had always hoped. On her last day on placement with Mad-Eye's, he turned and said something that removed the rose colour glasses that Tonks saw Aurors with, "Tonks, the thing you'll find out soon enough is that this job is 90 paperwork. Better you know that now, than waste another two years believing it's going to be wall-to-wall action."

He'd been right of course. The longer she was in the job the more she realised that the overflowing papers in her in-tray were a permanent fixture in her Auror cubical. But she would never trade it in for a different job. Sure the bureaucracy was strife, but so was anything to do with the Ministry. The only way to change it was for more people with integrity and faith in justice, to join the Ministry, not walk out, because of it's problems.

At the thought of her overflowing in-tray, Tonks had the brief notions to go and get some of it to do now, but thought better of leaving her post. She wasn't going to let the order down on her first guard shift. So instead she let her mind wonder to other things. The way Remus had looked at her that night sprang to mind.

_Please review, and let me know how you think I'm going…..even if you don't like, I'm always wanting to improve my writing._


	6. Nightmares and Nightclubs

**A/N: **Just so you know guys I'm about to hit the road and I'm not sure what type of internet connection anyone can get in the lake district. So bear with me if I don't update for a little while, I will be writing even if I'm not posting. Enjoy Esther

**Nightmares and Nightclubs**

A cold dark shadow filled the once bright sunny room. The lights flicked off. The man stood, laying a protective hand on his daughter. He looked around, the hooded figures surrounded them. He took a last look at his beautiful daughter and lovely wife. The man's wife had a tight grip on her daughters hand, her eyes held a look of terror as they shot around the room looking for an escape. The leader of the dark figures, and the biggest, stepped forward.

"Kill him," The dark figure said in a voice that was deep and gravely, " He's nothing but filth."

A spell shot out from the wand of the figure to the left of the leader. The man's life was gone from him before he hit the floor. There was no splendour or valour in his death, he was simply dead. His daughter gave a small gasp, but did nothing more. His wife on the other hand, shouted at the figures.

"You horrible monsters!," She howled at them, "What are you going to do! Kill all of us? Will you even go so far as to kill my child?"

"No." the leader leered, "We will take your daughter with us. We will turn her into one of us. You had your opportunity, but you wanted none of it, and so now we will kill you, as well."

This time it was the figure to right of the leader who cast the deadly spell. The woman, like her husband, was dead instantly, her hand now loose in her daughters. The daughter burst in to tears as the figures closed in around her. She did nothing to stop them.

"Mum! Dad!," Tonks yelled. A hot sweet covered her body and the bed sheets were tangled around her. Gaston her owl looked up from the mouse that she had given to him when she got home from her guard shift. It hadn't been that long ago, but she had hoped to get a least a few hours sleep before having to go into work that day. Fat chance she had of doing that now.

She untangled her self from her sheets and poured herself a glass of water. Sitting by the window hoping for a breeze, she was rewarded with none. It was early but it was summer and the sun had already been up a full hour. The air even now had a sticky feeling of persistant heat. Tonks noticed that her hair had gone back to it's natural length and colour. She concentrated hard but could only gather enough energy to shorten it. It didn't matter. She would fix it after her shower, for now it was at least off her neck.

The dream had been the same one she had had when she was younger. Over and over again that dream had invaded her sleep as a child. Slowly after the war the dreams had stopped. Till now, the last time she had had the dream was a week before Christmas when she was 10 years old. It was different now, her parents still looked like they had when she was a child, but she looked like she was now. Now she thought about it, the figures had changed too. They weren't all the same, nameless masses, but now Tonks had put the names and faces of caught Death Eaters together.

A shiver went down Tonks spine, despite the heat. She tried to push the dream from her mind, but the haunted feeling she felt was hard to shake. Knowing sleep was not an option she showered and dressed for work. Before she left she wrote a short note to her parents. It said very little, but just writing it made her feel more calm. She sent the letter off with Gaston and made her way to work.

* * *

Remus had been on Harry watching duty from noon till now. It had been a terrible day for it. The invisibility cloak he had covering him from head to toe did nothing to alleviate the days heat. The sun sat high in the sky and shade was hard to come by. Sweat had drench Remus from the second that he had stood in the sun covered by the cloak. 

There was another reason too that Remus did not enjoy his day of Harry watching. The boy looked so melancholy. He trudged around the muggle house and neighbourhood with the same frustrated energy that Remus saw daily in Sirius. He watched helpless, as the muggle yelled at him to 'go away and stop watching the news'. Remus wiped his brow, wishing there was some way he could reassure Harry that something was being done. That things were happening and he would know about them soon. But there was no way, this was how it must be, it was on Dumbledore's orders.

Harry slouched up to his room and Remus could see him flop down on his bed through the window. Remus glanced at his watch, his shift was over. He kept his eye on Harry's window as he made his way over to Mrs Fig's house. He knocked just softly enough as not to confuse the neighbours. The curtain twitched, after a few seconds Mrs Fig opened the door, seemingly to let one of her many cats out.

As soon as Remus was in the door he tore the cloak off. The relief was instant and he moaned with delight. Hestia Jones stood in the hall, a look of horror on her face. Remus looked down at the cloak in his hands. The thing would reek of his sweat, probably even be damp from it. Remus gave Hestia an apologetic look.

"Conkleanti." said Remus prodding the cloak with his wand. The cloak gleam red from the cleaning charm. Hestia looked doubtful but took the cloak none the less.

"Thanks," she muttered before turning to leave.

"Wait," said Remus, "You're helping get Harry to the headquarters aren't you? Well we really need to get together and work out a plan. So if you're free, tomorrow, at the headquarters, say, half five?"

"Yes I'll come straight from work, that'll be fine."

Mrs Fig began waving her arms, "Hurry up I can't stand with the door open all day. People will begin to think I'm crazy."

Remus shared an amused look with Hestia before she disappeared beneath the cloak.

* * *

Tonks had buried herself in her paper work as soon as she got to work. The effect was that she was able to push her dream from her thoughts and her in tray was looking healthier then it ever had. By lunch time the fact that she had next to no sleep was catching up with her. She sent a memo to her best friend Trish Martin, who worked in the reception of the department of magical creatures, to come and meet her for lunch. Then set off to meet her at the muggle café that was just around the corner from the Ministry. 

As Tonks came to the elevator Tonks notice the bright red hair of the man waiting by the doors. She was about to say hello when she worked out it wasn't Arthur, there was far to much of the bright red hair to be Arthur.

"Charlie." Tonks smiled.

"Tonks." replied Charlie.

"Thought you where your dad."

"Ha. No. I came in with my brothers, Fred and George, they're sitting their apparition test. Just came down to say hi to Dad."

"Do you have long to wait for your brothers?"

Charlie glanced at his watch. "Yeah, the line was massive, the witch at reception said it would be about an hour and half, about 15 minutes ago."

"Oh well if you want, you can come grab something to eat with Trish and I."

"Trish Martin, Trish? You guys still friends?"

The doors finally opened and memos flow out of the empty lift. They both hopped in.

Tonks hit the ground floor button. "Yeah. She works here too."

"Oh. Well fancy that. Yeah I'll grab some food with you guys."

The two of then made their way to the café, talking on the way, about old school friends. The conversation, continued when they meet up with Trish, although Trish and Charlie did go on about her job in the magical creatures department for awhile. By the end of her lunch hour Tonks was feeling a lot less tired, she even agreed, after much convincing, to go for a drink with Trish after work that day.

* * *

Remus walked in to the kitchen at number 12 Grimmauld Place, the Weasleys, Hermione, and Sirius were all taking their seats around the table. The heat from the day still trapped in the kitchen made Remus feel as if he had put the invisibility cloak back on. He sat groggily down next to Hermione. He was a little disappointed not to see Tonks at the table, but she rarely came for dinner two days in a row. 

"No Tonks with us tonight?" asked Molly as she dished out the stew.

It was Charlie who answered, " I bumped into her today, had lunch with her and her friend Trish Martin. They were going out for a drink after work today."

"That's a shame." muttered Molly.

"No way. Trish Martin? She still hot?" asked Bill.

As that conversation degenerated into nothing more than boy talk, other conversations broke out along the table. Fred and George sat huddled together planning some scam, Ron and Ginny sat listening intently to Sirius telling a story about some old school prank, and Molly and Arthor chough up on each others day. Hermione started to tell Remus all about SPEW. Remus listened politely, although not at all convinced that Hermione really had the best understanding of the mind set of house elves.

In amongst the large Weasley family, Remus not for the first time in his life, felt the twinge of grief. He could never expect a family like this. In fact he could not even expect to one child, as he had been in his own family. The child would surely take on his condition, and if not how could he put his own child in such danger as to have him for a father. The thoughts darkened his mood. He tried to push them from his mind, he knew that he would only dwell on them tonight on his shift if he didn't.

Remus left the hot kitchen and it's occupants behind, soon after he had finished his dinner. He could tell that Sirius had been holding back comments about Tonks and himself all night, and he didn't fancy being around Sirius when he finely let one slip. In fact he didn't really feel like being around anyone. His lonely shift at the ministry that night, that promised to be cooler than his shack, would be a welcome one.

* * *

Wiz Bar's entrance was hidden down one of the halls to public toilets in Leicester square. Like the entrance to Diagon Alley, it required a patterned knock on the bricks with a wand to open. Once inside you paid five silver sickles to enter the club. The main bar was to the right of the front door and the floor of the club went down in 3 different levels, the last levels being the dance floor. Tonks who had morphed her hair into a bright purple bob for the outing made her way to the bar with Trish. It was early still and they got served quickly. 

The bartender had hair that stuck up in all directions,and a stud stuck through his lower lip, that he absentmindedly wriggled with his tongue. He was fast and effective at his job and what was more he seemed to enjoy serving drinks to the happy club goers.

"You right there ladies?" He shouted above the music.

"Two bug snot shooters and two double violent vodkas and cranberry." Tonks shouted back.

Trish shoot Tonks a look, "Someone wants to get pissed."

"Yeah and fast. Then I can go home and get some sleep."

"Why are you so tired anyway?" Trish pointed over to a table and stools in a comer that wasn't as loud as the rest of the club. They made there way over and Trish continued her inquiry. "So come on, spill. Who have you been up all night with?"

"Truthfully no one." They raised their shot glasses and downed the green liquid.

"Ok. I believe you about being up all night with no one, but you're being to evasive, there is someone? And another thing, why have you been up all night by yourself?"

Tonks was torn between which question to answer. One would reveal the order, the other her feelings for Remus. As she was sure that Trish would find out about Remus sooner or later, and saying anything to Trish about the order was out of the question, Tonks went for telling her about Remus.

"I might, sort of have a bit of a thing for this guy."

Trish beamed, "Yes, tell me more."

"Oh Trish, he is the sweetest, kindest guy. He's funny. He's smart, and not just academically, he's really clued into things too. And… I don't know how to explain it…. he's calm, level headed."

"Sound better then some of you old boyfriends. What's his name? More importantly what does he look like?"

"His names Remus and he's got amber eyes and he's not much taller then me. What else… he's got a sad smile that will break your heart."

"Hair colour? Buff? Lean? Tanned? Pasty?"

"God Trish. His hair is sort of a light brown colour. He's on the lean side…. Ok very lean. And he's generally got a paler complexion, but last time I saw him he did look as if he had spent a few hours in the sun. Any thing else you want to know?"

Trish thought for a moment, "What does he do for a living?"

_He's an unemployed werewolf, leaving in an abandoned shack, and doing odd job for a secret organisation ran by a man everyone thinks is mad,_ Tonks thought. She didn't want to lie to her friend but the truth did sound bad. "He's had heaps off different job's, from a gardener to a defence against the Dark Arts teacher. He's doing some freelance surveillance at the moment."

"How old is this guy?"

"Older."

"How much?"

"You're just going to make a big deal about it."

"Only if it is."

Tonks took a deep breath, "He's 35 or he might be 36. I don't know when his birthday is."

"Ohhh. I was being to think he was like 60. That's not to bad. How did you meet him?"

_He's best friends with my convicted murder of a cousin, Sirius Black, _Tonks thought. She grasped around for the connections, "He's friends with Mad-Eye, knew him from way back when. Got the intro through Mad-Eye and then I've just bumped into a few times since."

Trish looked a little unbelieving, but swallowed it, "Ok. So Remus. Hmmmm."

Just then two guys came to their table and started to chat them up. Trish as usual, flirted right back at them accepting their offer to buy them another round. They were good looking wizards, but Tonks felt no inclination to behave like her friend. Her mind was now full of thoughts of Remus. It was if telling her friend about him made her like him even more. There was no more denial and she could now accept the full extent of her feelings. Still she wasn't one to pass up a free drink.

The club was getting busy now and they had to wait for a while as the guys bought them drinks. Tonks watch like a hawk as the drinks were being poured and the guys picked them up to bring over, the Auror in her never really turned off, but they added nothing to them. They both took their drinks and the four of them headed to the dance floor.

It wasn't long before Trish had firmly attached herself to the taller of the two. The shorter of the two, who's name had been Tim or Jim, the noise in the club had made it hard to work out what he had said, now started to make his moves on Tonks. Tonks, turned off not only by the fact that thoughts of Remus still floated round her head, but all so that Tim/Jim was in fact quite a bit shorter then her, wanted nothing of him. She downed her drink and made her excuses about wanting another drink, before walking away from him.

Tonks wasn't sure how it had happened, but somehow she had stayed at the club till the small hours of the morning. Watching as the club goers moved more and more away from any sense of class and down into the depths of debauchery. The men looking around the room looking from girl to girl as if buying a piece of meat. The girls striking poses that they hoped would put them in the best light. Every now and then a girl would flick one of the boys a knowing glance and the two would begin talking, knowing all along where their actions would lead them that night.

Usually Tonks would not notice this game that went on around her, but her lack of interest to play had brought the facts of this game under a harsh light. So instead Tonks drank more to try and hide from her discovery. The effect was that by the time Trish had come over to her to leave, Tonks was amazingly drunk.

Now with her head hanging over her toilet in her small flat in Notting Hill, Tonks calculate how many hours of sleep she could get, before she had to be up for work.

_The bartender in this chapter is a real person. He's a work mate of mine and he saw me writing the other day and asked me to write him._

_Oh and guys as always review I love to know what you all think._


	7. The AllEngland Best Kept Suburban

**AN: **Ahhhh, so sorry guys this chapter gave me a lot of pain. I wrote it in two Countries, was on holidays without my laptop for 4 weeks. When I'm finally got home all I wrote sounded like a ten years olds, so I decided that you guys where better then that and worked on this chapter till it was a bit better. Still not 100 happy, but tell me what you think, because the more you guys review the more I write. Enjoy.

**Chapter 7: The All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition!**

The heat was worse then the day before. It sucked the colour and life out of the surrounding, bleaching everything in its relentless glare. The air was stale and still. Distant sounds of children playing a game of cricket in a park somewhere drifted over the rooftops. Remus struggled to keep his eyes open, not from the blinding heat, but from tiredness. After the night shift at the ministry, he had headed back to headquarters only to find that Mundungus Fletcher had not turned up for his 'Harry watching' shift. Remus had staggered off to cover the gap in the shifts.

The night before his imagination had been running amok , with visions of Tonks and himself as a couple. His dreams involved the two of them with a big family that rivalled the Weasley's for numbers. But such dreams where surely only romantic notions, thought Remus as he pushed the ideas from his head trying not to dwell on the impossibilities. But the visions never left and he was forced to argue with himself all night.

Now as he sat on the fence in the heat, his mind, ravaged by tiredness, gave up the fight and he let his imagination run wild with thoughts of Tonks. He imagined that Tonks and himself lived in one of the house on Privet Drive; that the voices of the children in the park where the voices of their children. He could imagine the whole family playing cricket, Tonks would be terrible, the children would fall about laughing at her and that would be her greatest joy.

The front door of number four Privet Drive slammed shut, Tonks face fled from Remus's mind as he focused on the task at hand. Harry stood for awhile looking around, then slouched away from the house. He didn't seem to be heading anywhere in particular. Remus followed at a safe distance. Soon they passed a small off licence, Harry paused to read the newspaper headlines. The Sun had some news on a celebrity marriage break up, the Times had a piece on a new policy from the muggle Prime Minister, and the Guardian had news on the drought. Harry just plodded on, when he realized they held nothing thing of interest.

Remus followed after him, trying to recapture the image of Tonks again. He was now beyond believing that he could control his feelings for her. Besides he told himself he would need her smiling face to get through another day full of moody teenage angst.

* * *

Tonks was late. Her hair was flat and a rather washed out shade of purple. She was wearing a large knitted jumper that did the combined job of hiding her figure and being the ugliest jumper in the world. Her mouth still tasted of vomit and her head pounded. She new that her complexion would be spotty but she was late already and there was no time for make up. She could have called in sick but she didn't believe in taking a sick day when it was self- inflicted. Instead she staggered into the office late, wishing the day was over already.

Tonks struggled through the day, at four o'clock a small memo fluttered into Tonks in-tray. She had been gently massaging her temple, wondering if it was to early to go home yet. Any inroads on her in-tray from the day before were now lost. She only noticed the memo, because it was written on a bright pink piece of paper. Slowly, because Tonks was still feeling so tender, she picked up the memo and unfolded it. It read, in a neat clean script:

_Tonks, If you are still interested in being involved in the relocation project, we are having a meeting about it tonight. It will be at the usual spot, at 5:30 pm. Do hope you read this in time, I wrote it on pink paper hoping it would catch your eye._

_Remus_

Tonks heart gave a flutter at the sight of Remus name. His writing was just as neat and measured as the man himself. Not like her writing that was balloon like and always took up too much room. She read the note again.

"Tonight!" Tonks thoughts materialised into words before she knew it. Several people near here looked over. Steve, who worked in the cubical next to her, stood up and looked over the dividing wall at her.

"Right there Tonks?" said Steve.

"Err. It's Nana Tonks birthday, and I just found out we are having a big family dinner for her tonight." lied Tonks.

"And you're a little hung over, so you would rather not go?"

"And how do you know I'm hung over?"

"I am a Auror and you look like death warmed up, that's how."

Tonks looked at his smug face, it made her want to hit him, or throw up again, she wasn't to sure. So instead she just told him he was mean.

"I know." Steve said with all seriousness, before he dropped out of view.

* * *

The room was full of people, but Remus' eyes were glued to the door. As if by pure will power, the door sprang open, much to Remus' delight. Sirius strutted through the doorway, making sure everyone was aware of his presence. "I think I have a right to be here."

"Ah. Not that I want to deal with your cantankerous behaviour," said Mad-Eye, "But you have a point there."

Remus looked back to the door, wondering if he focused hard enough he could make the door spring open again. Remus felt Sirius flop down in the chair next to him. Sirius poked him, "Where's your girlfriend?"

He said it only loud enough for Remus to hear, but still his face blanched and he looked frantically around to see who had heard.

"Right, if everyone's here, I think we could start," Mad-Eye stood at the end of the table and his voice brought a silence across the room. Remus finally let his gaze drift from the door and focus on the matter at hand. Tonks was still not there, and Remus tried as hard as he could not to take the no show personally. But before he could convince himself of anything there was a loud crash from the hallway, followed by shrieks of horror from Mrs Black.

"Tonks?!" yelled Mad-Eye. " Remus, let the others help her. I want a word."

Remus retraced his steps towards the door and walked towards Mad-Eye, feeling like a naughty schoolboy.

"You said that we needed a ninth." Remus said with more conviction then he felt.

"And I would rather have eight people then have Tonks as the ninth and risk making enough noise to alert all of Surrey." growled Mad-Eye.

"Subtlety may not be her strong point, but she's been performing well on guard duties." Came Kingsley's deep voice from Remus left.

Mad-Eye grunted.

"She'll be fine if we're all there. She really wants to help." Remus lowed his voice as he heard the others returning into the room.

"Fine laddie, but she's your responsibility and don't let me find out that you asked her here on the whim of that appendage that's below your belt line."

Kingsley stifled a laugh as Remus' face burned red. Turning around he turned a darker shade red, Tonks stood by the far end of the table staring right at him. The red mark from where she had fallen soon disappeared as the rest of her face turned the same colour.

* * *

Tonks sat down in the seat that Sirius offered her. It was next to Remus and the small nudge that Sirius gave Remus didn't go unnoticed by her. Everyone was now settled down in the room, Sirius had pulled up a chair and sat on the other side of Remus. Tonks had to say that Sirius looked a great deal better then usual. Perhaps the thought of seeing Harry again had brightened his mood.

"Right," boomed Mad-Eye, "Now that we are _all_ here, can we start?"

No one answered but Mad-Eye had hardly left time for objections, before he ploughed on. " Harry's safety is our highest priority in this mission. So, as there are many leaks within the ministry, we will not be using the floo network or a port-a-key. I know they would mean the fastest route out for the boy but there are to many things that can go wrong.

"He's still under age, so even apparition is out of the question. That leaves us with brooms. Unless anyone else has a idea? Keep in mind that we don't want the muggles in the area to see us, and using magic in the area will be out of question unless we want a magical law enforcement to turn up and arrest the boy for under-age wizardry."

A few people nodded their heads, Kingsley stroked his chin trying to think of any other way.

"But wont that still put Harry in a dangerous position?" Shouted Sirius, "What happens if anyone sees him flying around?"

Remus put a hand on Sirius shoulder and in a very calm voice said, "He will have had a disillusionment charm placed on him just before we take off, he'll be in the centre of a very tight flying formation. Tonks, who is an Auror, Mad-Eye, and myself, will be flying right along side him. This is the safest way possible, believe me I would never do it unless it was."

Sirius went to make another outburst, but then appeared to think the better of it. "Ok, I guess it will be safest."

Mad-Eye now began to talk everyone through the flying formation that they would use. But Tonks wasn't really listening, she was too amazed by the fact that she would one of the three people to fly right alongside Harry. She wondered what the others would be doing then. Leaning over to whisper in Remus ear, she asked him.

"They will all be circling us." Whispered Remus. "You'll be just in front of Harry, Mad-Eye will be behind, and I'll be just below."

"Wow you've worked it all out. So when is this happening?"

"TONKS! REMUS!" Yelled Mad-Eye, "Will the two of you stop talking."

They both muttered a sorry, with suppressed smiles they both looked at each other before bursting in to fits of giggles. Mad-Eye turned and locked both his eyes in on them. Remus bowed his head and stopped laughing, while Tonks bit her lip and tried to stop the small burst of laughter still escaping from her mouth.

"As I was saying," continued Mad-Eye, "this flying formation is one of the strongest formations you can fly with a small group.

"We should be looking at executing this plan on the night before the start of the Hogwarts term. The only problem Remus and I have come up against so far, is how to get the muggles out of the house. Remus if you want to give us the details?"

Like everyone else in the room Tonks turned to look at Remus, the movement sent a wave of nausea over her. She promised once again never to drink alcohol for as long as she lived. Tonks was surprised to see that Remus seemed to have been woken from a day dream by the stares of the room.

"Right, the muggles." Remus slowly stood. "Well they could be a problem. You see they wont like a team of wizards turning up at their house, especially unexpectedly. Anyway, to turn up to the house when they are there, is an event that I think would not pass without magic being used. Which is not what we want to have happen. So we need to devise some sort of plan to get the muggles out of the house but not Harry. They are unlikely to take Harry along on any sort social visit or family outing. Any ideas?"

Tonks cautiously, not wanting to make herself feel sick again, looked around the room. Everyone looked in deep thought, Kingsley was rubbing his bald head, Emmeline's eyebrows had turned into one line under her knotted brow, Sirius was so still he could have passed for a statue.

Even more slowly than she had looked around the room, Tonks now raised her hand and opened her mouth to speak. It wasn't that she was scared of throwing up, well not literally anyway, but more that she was worried that her idea would seem childish. She was the youngest in the room by along shot and she was starting to worry that perhaps she was in over her head, not just in helping with this mission, but in the order as a whole.

So, ever so slowly, Tonks began, "I've been stuck doing paper work for the past few weeks and so I've read a lot of useless reports. Anyway one of these reports was on the methods that muggle burglars use to rob the houses of other muggles. One of the methods used was that the burglars would send the victims a letter telling them that they had won a prize and all they had to do was go and collect it on a certain night, at a certain time, at a place a good hour away. So the victims would leave their house and drive away, the burglars that knew the house would be empty break in with the knowledge that no one will be home for over an hour. We wouldn't need much more time then that."

For the time being, Tonks had forgotten all about her hang over. The room sat in silence for a moment. One by one the others in the room began to nod their heads.

"I told you she'd be help full Moody," said Remus who had now sat back down.

Mad-Eye gave a curt nod.

"Will they really believe they have won some prize?" asked Diggle

"Yes," shot Sirius, "they are conceited, fat headed, horrib-."

"That's just the type of thing that they would believe Diggle." said Remus cutting off Sirius.

"This could work, but what have they won? It can't exactly be new broomsticks." Kingsley said in his deep voice.

"If it's only to claim a prize will they all go?" asked Hestia.

"I don't know." Tonks thought out loud, "If it was a more like a ceremony that they went to, to find out if they have won. Yeah that would work, like they've been short-listed. They would all want to go along to that."

"But what are they short-listed for? And what are they going to get if they win?" asked Kingsley.

"Oh I think an enticement of money should be enough for the prize." wheezed Doge.

"Yeah should be. As for what they have won for…… what is it my muggle grandparents are trying to win prizes for……it's their garden or their lawn or something stupid." Tonks was feeling much more confident now, with the backing of everyone in the room.

"A lawn competition?!?" laughed Hestia Jones.

"Yeah. The All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition!" said Tonks with so much vigour it made her still sore head spin.

Kingsley boomed out a laugh, "Good work Tonks. We will have to send it by muggle post."

"There you go Tonks, something constructive to do on the ministry's time. When you've composed it, send it over to me and Lupin to have a look at before it goes out." Finalised Mad-Eye. "I think that will close our meeting tonight. Unless anyone has any objections to the plan?"

Tonks couldn't help herself, like everyone else she looked over to Sirius. "What? I'm good. Knew it would be a Black that would come up with such a good idea." He gave Tonks a small wink.

"Meeting over. Will let you all know when the next meeting will be." Mad-Eye said.

Sirius stood, "Molly's cooking enough bangers and mash down there to feed an army, so feel free to stay for dinner."

"You going to stay, Nymphadora?" asked Remus very softy.

Tonks shuddered at the sound of her name, "It's Tonks. And I think I'm about ready for bed."

"Oh, Tonks if you really can't wait for dinner to be over to shag my mate then fine, but Molly will be sad that you missed dinner." Sirius had a huge grin on his face and was beaming at the two of them.

Her face Tonks tried to explain, "I meant my bed. By myself. Stop smiling at me like that, I'm too tired to for this."

"Come on Tonks, I'm just joking. Stay for dinner, you look like you need a hearty meal to cure your hang-over. And they you might just have enough energy to go upstairs afterwar-"

Remus cut in before Sirius could say any more, "Padfoot Shut-Up."


	8. A Good Price on Cauldron

_A/N: Hello again. So here's the new Chapter, hope you like. I've gone back and fixed up a lot of the grammar and spelling mistakes in Chapters 1-6, so hopefully they read much more smoothly. Anyway enjoy._

**Chapter 8: A Good Price on Cauldron.**

The kitchen of number twelve was full of smells and sounds, two more prominent then any other, that of cooking and teenage. When he closed his eyes Remus imagined that he was 15 again and, back at Hogwarts. They were some of the happiest days of his life, he had felt like he truly belonged. If he thought about it, he realised that that was what the Order was now. Was he just chasing the ghost of what was? Had the Order become the thing he was living for? Remus wasn't sure he would like the answers to his thoughts, so he opened his eyes and stopped thinking. His eyes fell on Tonks as she sat at the table, and for a second time that night he felt 15.

"Hey Tonks," Ginny and plonked herself down next to Tonks, "Can you morph your face in to anything? I mean like anything?"

Tonks scrunched up her face for a while, then when nothing thing happened she tucked her head into her chest and put her hands to the sides of her head. Remus sat down quickly beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Tonks dear," Mrs Weasley had turned around from the stove and was looking at Tonks with grave concern, " Are you alright?"

"Oh, Ginny!" said Fred.

"You broke her." said George.

"Tonks?" Whispered Remus, trying to keep the deep concern from his voice.

Without warning Tonks throw her head back and looked directly at Ginny. Ginny screamed in terror before falling of her chair in fits of laughter. "Wow," groaned Tonks, "Shouldn't have thrown my head back like that."

"You're Ok then?" Remus felt a little stupid about how concerned he was, now.

"Yeah besides the hang over." Tonks looked down at her nose. "And it didn't even work. Merlin I can't concentrate on anything today."

"Hang over," Uttered Mrs Weasley turning back to the stove with unnecessary vigour.

"Oi, Sirius," yelled George down the table, "Better stop writing that letter to the Ministry. Tonks is only Hung over."

"And to think," said Fred, "handing in an Auror killer might just have got them to clear you."

Sirius grinned his roguish grin, "Damn! There goes my opportunity."

Ginny pulled herself on to her chair as Tonks sat dejected. "It did." Ginny finally managed. "it turned into a pig snout." And then Ginny was in fits of laughter again.

"Yes, I did something!" Tonks stuck her tongue through her teeth as she smiled in victory.

"Good work, Nymphadora." Mocked Remus.

"It's Tonks." snapped back Tonks.

"Oh yes. Sorry." Remus didn't hide the cheeky grin that had spread across his face.

Tonks slapped Remus arm. " You Bludger. You called me that on purpose!"

"Nymphadora, would I call you Nymphadora on -" Remus got no further Tonks had thrown her hands over her ears.

"Ahhhh. Stop it. Sirius your friend is mean."

Sirius laughed harder than Remus had seen him laugh in weeks, "Well of course he is, he's _my_ friend."

"Right. All of you start acting your age or I'll send you all to bed with no dinner." Mrs Weasley said, thought she said it with a smile.

Sirius looked over at Remus, a sly smile crossed his face at the sound of the word bed, and that sent a bolt of fear through Remus. "Padfoot, don't." Warned Remus.

Sirius put his hands up in surrender.

* * *

The sounds of Saturday morning cartoons was clear. The walls were thin in Tonks Notting Hill apartment. The sound of a passing police car blotted out the cartoons for a moment. It wasn't early, but Tonks still wanted at least another hours sleep. She turned over and buried herself under her bed clothes. It was no good, the day was already hot and soon the heat of her bed sheets became to much and she was forced to throw them off. The sounds of the cartoons were just as loud as before.

"Muggles and their Stupid TV's." said Tonks groggily as she slouched out of her bed.

It wasn't that she hated TV's. in fact when she was little she used to be fascinated for hours by her muggle grandparents TV. Even now she liked to go to the movie theatre with her muggle friend, Charlotte, from down the hall in number 104. No, she just hated TV's on Saturday mornings when she wanted a lie in.

The pounding in her head that had occupied her thoughts the day before was now gone and Tonks was glad. The bouts of queasiness had also left with the help of a good nights rest. Then again, it could have been something in the special tea that Molly had made for her after dinner.

Gaston, Tonks owl, was perched on top of one of the two chairs in the room, his back turned away from Tonks. The owl was down to two owl treats and there was a feather in his water. Tonks looked at the bird with disbelief before picking up the water bowl and pouring out the water. She cleaned and refilled bowl before putting it back on the window ledge. Then she went to the fridge where she pulled out a dead mouse, she plonked it down on the plate with the owl treats.

"You're the fussiest owl in London I reckon." Tonks told the owl, "Tomorrow I'm doing a morning Harry watching shift. So do you know what that means?"

Gaston speared a small vacant looking glance before going back to the dead mouse,.

"That means that I will not be stupid again and I will go to bed early and I wont go out and I wont get drunk."

* * *

"Someone saw you." said Dumbledore grimly.

Remus was sitting in the dusty drawing room of number 12, Sirius was sitting beside him on the Couch. Sirius lips were pursed together, one hand was pressed up against his temple, his face looked pale and drawn. His eyes danced with a anger and pain. Dumbledore stood in front of them, his robes somehow immune to the dust clouds.

Remus had been thinking of pulling up the old carpet in his shack today. A quick trip to the headquarters to thump Sirius for his comments the night before, thought Remus. But it wasn't to be so easy. Remus had found Dumbledore talking to Sirius when he had arrived. Seeing as no one had told him to leave he had sat down next Sirius.

"What were you doing?" Remus asked.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders. "Went to get some milk."

"Milk?!" Remus ran a hand down his face.

"I understand you feel trapped here Sirius, but you going out like that was irresponsible. You weren't just risking your own safety but the safety of the order. You could have compromised our position here." Dumbledore said with finality.

"I know. It wont happen again Albus." Sirius said to the floor.

"I'm sure it wont." said Albus, " I have to go now. I know I can trust you to do the right thing Sirius."

Remus and Sirius both a gave the old man a nod before he glided from the room.

"Milk?" Remus said as the door closed.

Sirius shrugged, " I don't know. It was stupid. I'm just so sick of being here. Of being stuck here."

There was no anger in his voice but only defeat. It scared Remus. Sirius had been the one who could never be defeated. Now beside Remus sat the deflated version of his friend.

"I know. It's going to be hard." said Remus, "Look why don't we see if we can get those Weasley boys together and get a good game of poker going?"

Sirius raised an eyebrow, "That could be fun. Those twins are shifty enough."

The two men got up out of the dusty room in search of poker players. The carpets in Remus shack a distant memory, all that he could think of now was helping his friend.

* * *

It was just starting to get dark outside Number 12. Sirius looked much happier then he did that morning. The twins had proven to be quite a challenge for Sirius, but in the end, he still proved he could out play them in poker. All day the Weasley boys, Sirius and Remus had traded stories of Hogwarts mischief, luckily Molly had been upstairs with the girls trying clean one of the bathrooms.

They now sat around the dinner table attacking Molly's stew. The girls looked tired and grumpy from their days cleaning. A strained conversation had started up at the other end of the table to Remus, but he could still hear what was being said clearly.

"Harry wants more information." pleaded Hermione.

"I thought Dumbledore had told you what you where allowed to tell Harry?" warned Molly.

"Yeah, Nothing!" said Ron.

"Isn't there some way? Not using owls? There has to be." Hermione looked down the table to were Remus and Sirius were.

"Look you two," Said Arthur, "Dumbledore has made you promise not to say anything because it's in Harry's best interests. This is Harry's safety we are dealing with so the two of you best be sticking to what you've been told. And I don't want to have this conversation again."

Remus had never heard Arthur tell his children off, but he could tell by Hermione and Ron's silence on the matter that it was a rare occurrence, and one not to be argued with.

"Right thanks for the feed mum, but I've got places to be. People to see." Bill broke the silence and dashed towards the door.

"Wait you haven't had dessert yet." cried Molly at Bills back.

"That's cool, I'm full." Bill waved, "Hi Dung. There's left-over's in there."

Mundungus Fletcher ran into the room a look of desperation on his face. A cold shiver ran down Remus back, Dung was meant to be on Harry watching shift.

"What the hell are you doing here. Your meant to be watching Harry!" yelled Remus.

"Errr…. Yeah…. about that. You see…" Dung looked around at all the angry faces in the room. "Dumbledore not here, is he?"

"Yeah he's hiding under the kitchen sink! Why the hell aren't you watching Harry!" Sirius was moving towards Dung, flinging chairs out of the way as he went.

"The kid's fine. He's fine I just saw 'im." Dung quickly spat out, "Figg's with 'im. I swear. Now can we get 'old of Dumbledore through that fire?"

Sirius was still closing in on Dung. Dung staggered backwards to the fire place muttering inaudibly.

"What happened Dung?" asked Sirius in a low treating voice. Sirius was only inches from Dung now. He wasn't touching him yet, but his fingered flexed as if at any moment Sirius would strike him.

Behind Dung, Arthur had thrown some floo powder on to the fire place yelling out, "Headmaster Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry". Dung spun around a dove his head into the fire.

The room went quite as everyone strained to hear Dung side of the Conversation. Remus could see Hermione and Ginny holding each others hand, the twins had stood up on the chairs to try and get a better view of the action, and Arthur now had his arm around Molly.

"Hello there Dumbledore, sir. Oh, and hello Severus, didn't see you there lurking… if anyone is one of those Snape, it's yo-… yes. There is a reason. You see something showed up at Little Whinging tonight. Harry was able to… well he's fine, his cousin looks a bit worse for wear, haha, the great- … you're right, that's not funny… well they could have been Dementors. I didn't actually see them my self. You see I was-"

Where Dung was would have to wait. At that moment Sirius, still standing next to him, reached down and pulled him from the fire by the scruff of his shirt. Then with one quick movement he punched Mundungus square in the nose. Hermione squealed, and the twins grunted in admiration. Remus dashed forward unsure if he wanted to pull Sirius back or punch Dung as well.

The fire burned bight green and Remus was spared from making a decision by Dumbledore stepping into the room. The fire roared green again and Snape stepped into the room too. Dung, who was still sprawled out on the floor, blood flowing freely from his nose, stopped squirming and looked up at Dumbledore.

"If you were watching Harry, why didn't you see the Dementors?" Dumbledore's voice was flat and low. He stood with his back towards Remus, but Remus could tell his eyes would be burning with anger.

"I..I…I left." stuttered Dung in barely a whisperer.

"YOU LEFT! WHY" Remus wasn't sure if he was imaging it or not, but the room seemed to shake with Dumbledore's anger. His words bounced around the room like echo's.

"There… there w-w-was these … these cauldrons. Goo-good price."

Snape moved faster then Sirius had, bringing his foot down hard on Dung's already bloody nose. Dung let out a howl of pain and Dumbledore raised a hand to tell Snape to back down.

"These Dementors, they came after Harry and his cousin? How did Harry get away?" Dumbledore's voice became flat and dangerous again.

Dung had his hand to his nose, "I don't wnow. That old bag wig, must'a welped"

"Harry would have used a Patronus. He would have used magic." gasped Remus.

Dumbledore took a deep breath to steady himself, " The ministry will know already. I'll have to go to sort this out now."

Arthur grabbed his travel cloak off the back of chair, "I'll come too. The ministry already know I'm fighting with you."

Dumbledore gave a curt nod and the two men soon disappeared into the green flames.

* * *

_A/N: hope you all liked it. Please review, otherwise I worry that the only person to read this is my mum. Thanks._


	9. A Meeting with the Boy who Lived

**A/N**: Hey guys, sorry that's it's been awhile. It's getting Hot here in OZ and my lap top is a very hot toy to sit in front of all day. But never fear, this chapter is long… well for me it is. Enjoy.

**A Meeting with the Boy who Lived.**

A gentle summer breeze drifted through the open window of the apartment on the fifth floor. Tonks leaned over and switched her bed side lamp off. She pulled the bed covers over her and instantly kicked them off, the day's still awake. She hadn't been to bed this early in months, her body wasn't used to it, and sleep would not come.

She was still wide awake when twenty minutes later the was a soft knock on the door. At first it was so soft she thought it must have been next door. Then it came again louder. She switched the lamp back on as she crawled out of her bed. The lamp gave off enough light to dimly illuminate the whole studio apartment. She reached the door just as the third knock came.

She opened the door. "Remus?"

"Sorry, should have buzzed you from downstairs. Made sure you were…that you weren't….did I wake you?"

Tonks was very suddenly aware of the blue and purple pyjamas that the she had on. The shock of finding Remus on her doorstep, when she had been just thinking about him was fading, only to leave her embarrassed.

"No," she finally managed, "I was just getting ready for bed. Thought an early night would be in order if I was on the early Harry watching duty."

"Of course. It was Harry Watching that I came to talk to you about."

Tonks felt a little disappointed that it was the Order that had brought Remus, and not regard for her. She tried not to let it show. "Is there something wrong with my Harry watching?"

"No!… I mean it's fine; it's good. Just that we had a situation tonight. Harry and his muggle cousin were attacked by a set of Dementors."

"Dementors?! Who was watching Harry?"

"No one! Dung, left for some crap, old, caldrons!"

"Oh for f… Hello." Tonks had just noticed the boy who lived across the hall had stuck his head out of his door way.

The boy raised his eyebrows and slid back behind his door.

"Do you want to come in?" Tonks asked, realising that they were still standing at the threshold of her small apartment.

"Ah I really… if it's alright?"

Tonks stood back to let him in. The apartment was small and it felted crowed with the two of them in it. The lamp was still the only light on, the dim light was casting long shadows around the room. Remus had stopped just in front of Tonks, not knowing where to move to in the half lit room. He turned around to face Tonks, whatever he had been going to say, caught in his throat. His eyes locked with hers. Tonks felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, a hot flash that had nothing to do with the weather, ran through her body.

Tonks hand felt for the light switch that was next to the door. Remus' mouth moved as if he was still trying to find the words that had made him turn around in the first place. Tonks fingers found the switch, she hit it with her fingers three times before it gave way and the apartment filled with the glow of the florescent light.

As if on cue Remus found the words he had been struggling with. "Where should I sit?" This was followed by a deep breath.

"Sorry I don't have visitors often." Tonks dashed around Remus and cleared one of the two chairs in the room. As she moved to put the pile of clothes on her bed, she said, "Just choose a chair."

"Right. Thank- you."

Tonks sat on the free chair, "So if our Mr Fletcher wasn't there watching Harry, what happened?"

"Well I taught Harry how to perform the Patronus Charm in his third year. Seems that he's quite good at it and was able to fight off the Dementors. His cousin came out of it a little worse for wear. But the problem is that the ministry where right on top of it, just as we had suspected they would be. Sent Harry a letter straight away telling him that he was expelled from Hogwarts."

"What? They can't do that. Merlin, they can't even charge him for using magic. There're exceptions to that law."

"Who's to say that there where Dementors, Harry's the only one who would have seen them."

"Remus you're not saying that you think Harry made it up are you?"

"No, No, No. But you can bet that's what the ministry's line of prosecution will be."

"Whoa, back up. Why would the ministry have a line of prosecution?"

"Well, Dumbledore and Arthur went down to the Ministry as soon as we heard what had happened. Arthur then, apparently thinking that Harry might do a runner from his aunt and uncle, wrote Harry and told him not to leave and that Dumbledore would fix everything.

"After a while Dumbledore and Arthur returned, and told us how the ministry had reacted. Dumbledore was able to get them to reverse the expelling, but Harry still has to attend a hearing on the charges of underage wizardry, and using magic in front of Muggles."

Tonks sat with her hands over her mouth, the embarrassment of Remus seeing her in her PJ's, now totally gone. "So how's Harry now?"

"I don't know. Sirius was writing to him as I left."

"Dung's not still watching him, is he?"

"Merlin No. Molly went. She'll explain to Podmore when he turns up to his shift. This also means that we will have to get Harry out as soon as possible."

"Well yeah. Sorry, I'm a terrible host, did you want some tea or something? … in fact it better had be tea and not the something, because I only have tea."

"Tea's fine."

Tonks went about making the tea, when she turned back she found Remus staring at her. Quickly she turned back to the kitchen bench and busied herself while the kettle boiled. Tonks sat back down and passed Remus the bright pink, raspberry and mango tea. The discussion moved on to the plan to remove Harry from Privet drive. The two of them drafted up the Dursleys letter informing them of the lawn competition win.

* * *

Sirius sat down on a chair at the end of the large table in the kitchen of number 12. As soon as he had sat, he stood again and walked to the other end of the room. He crossed his arms and then uncrossed them, then he leaned against the wall. Remus watched Sirius movements with amusement from the middle of the room where he sat with Tonks.

The day after Harry's encounter with the Dementors, Tonks had dropped the letter, charmed muggle postage stamp and all, into the Dursleys letter slot. Remus had spent the day chasing up the team of Order members that had volunteered to get Harry out of the Dursleys . He updated them on the recent events and the change of date to execute the plan. Now the team sat around the kitchen of Number 12, their brooms by their sides. All they waited on was the arrival of Diggle.

Sirius tried to sit again, but he only lasted a few seconds before he was up pacing again.

"Don't worry Sirius, will get him back here alright." said Mad Eye.

"I know. I trust you." said Sirius with all serenity, then he continued his restless pace.

Remus felt a poke a finger poke his arm. He turned to look at Tonks, she only poked him again. "What?" he asked. She shrugged and poked him again. She looked back at him with the smile that lit her whole face and made her eyes twinkle.

Remus gave a heavy sigh. "You know Nymphadora I don't know if purple is really your colour. The pink bob is much more you."

Tonks stopped poking him. "Tonks!"

"Oh no, I'm Remus. You know that Nymphadora."

"Oh." said Tonks, hitting Remus playfully on the arm.

Remus put a hand to the place where she had hit him. "Ouch, that hurt."

"Liar."

"The two of you are really quite disgusting." Sirius had stopped pacing and was now looking straight at Remus and Tonks, a look of amusement plastered on his face.

Before they could respond, Diggle came thought the door broom in hand. Everyone in the room, bar Sirius, picked up their brooms as well and grouped together around Mad Eye. "Right," began Mad Eye, " We will all be apparating right into Figs. Then from there we will have to very quite the last thing we want is one on the muggles calling in the muggle law enforcement. So all of us will make our way to the back of Harry's house and clime through the kitchen window there. Some of these muggles put a type of muggle charms on doors, make a terrible noise if you just walk up and try to open them.

"So if we are all ready. Remus you go first and then I come last."

The group of wizards and witches left Sirius in the kitchen as he took up his restless pace. They made there way to the door and one by one they apparated from the front step to Mrs. Figs hallway.

* * *

Tonks wondered just how inconspicuous nine wizards in robes, crossing a muggle road just after dark looked. Luckily no curtains twitched, no late joggers passed, no one put the cat out. They all crept along the side of the house, through to the back yard. Remus was the first to get to the kitchen window, he tapped it once with his wand, "Alohomora". there was a small click, then Remus pushed the window wide open.

"I'll give you a boost up." said Remus, grabbing hold of the window ledge and steadying his leg.

"Ok." Tonks hoisted herself through the window with Remus help. The problem came when there was no help on the other side. With her feet still dangling out the window, Tonks slid forward, landing face first in a heap on the kitchen floor. The crash was deafening in the silence.

"Damn Tonks." grumbled Mad Eye from outside.

"It can't have been that loud." Came the deep tones of Kingsley.

"Are you alright?" Remus voice came from inside. He was half way through the window, as Tonks pulled herself upright.

"Yeah I think so. I've lived through worse." Tonks accepted the hand that Remus extended to help pull her off the floor. For a moment they stood close to each other Tonks hand still in Remus'. Tonks felt her breath catch and her hands grow sweaty. She could feel Remus unsteady breath on her cheek.

"Oi. Does one of you, want to just open the door for us?" Emmeline asked through the open window.

"But we don't know if these muggles have any charms put-" Mad Eye was cut short as Remus unlocked and opened the door with not even a creak as the door swung open.

"If he's here why hasn't he come down about the noise yet?" Squeaked Diggle.

Remus shook his head. "They would have locked him in his room when they went out."

"Muggles, I tell you." muttered Sturgis Podmore.

Mad Eye walked in to the hall and waved his wand towards the stairs. A small click could be heard as the rest of the group followed Mad Eye into the hall. Everyone became very quite as the listened to the small creaks in the floorboards beyond the stairway. Then very swiftly at the top of the stairs a shadow moved into sight, it wand pointed out in front of it.

"Lower your wand, boy, before you take someone's eye out." Mad-Eye's low voice took Tonks by surprise. She suddenly noticed just how dark it was inside. She glanced around for a light switch but found none.

From the top of the stairs came a voice full of uncertainty, "Professor Moody?"

Mad-Eye sounded amused in his reply, "I don't know so much about the 'Professor', never got round to much teaching, did I? Get down here, we want to see you properly."

Tonks would have been lying if she said that she wasn't exited to meet the 'boy who lived'. And here she was in his house, standing right next to him. Well not right next to him, he was still standing at the top of the stairs his wand still griped tightly in his hand. In fact now that her eyes were adjusting to the bad light she could tell that the boy looked almost scared.

Tonks look over at Remus. He seemed to have realised this as well. "It's all right, Harry. We've come to take you away."

The shadow at the top of the stairs visible relaxed. "P-Professor Lupin? Is that you?"

"Why are we all standing in the dark?" Tonks still couldn't see a light switch, and had had enough of peering at shadows, "Lumos."

The light from Tonks wand lit up the hall and stairway. She felt someone behind her move for a better view of Harry. Tonks looked up at the boy. It was the first time she had seen him up close, and she was happy to see he looked just like she had imagined. He was very average looking, if anything, a little on the dorky side. His clothes were not cool, but then they weren't not cool. They hung on him with signs of a boy still growing. His hair was messy, with bits sticking up in all directions. His eyes were something to remember, bight green, they seemed to glow.

"Oooh, he looks just like I thought he would," Tonks said out loud. She noticed the green eyes take her in. "Wotcher Harry!"

Kingsley tapped Remus on the shoulder, "Yeah, I see what you mean, Remus, he looks exactly like James."

Dingle moved again behind Tonks, "Except his eyes. Lily's eyes."

Tonks looked over at Mad-Eye, he was looking at Harry with some suspicion. "Are you quite sure it's him. Lupin?" he growled. "It'd be a nice little look out if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating him. We ought to ask him something that only the real Potter would know. Unless anyone brought any Veritaserum?"

Before anyone could answer Mad-Eye, Remus asked, "Harry, what form does your Patronus take?"

"A stag." the note of caution still evident in Harry's voice.

"That's him, Mad-Eye," said Remus with a smile.

As Harry made his way down the stairs towards the group, Tonks watch as mad Eye told the boy off for putting his wand in his back pocket. He warned that he knew of Wizards that had lost their buttocks this way. Tonks racked her brain trying to think about who would have been that stupid.

"Who d'you know who's lost a buttock?" Tonks asked trying not to sound to interested.

"Never you mind, you just keep your wand out of your back pocket!" grumbled Mad-Eye, "Elementary wand-safety, nobody bothers about it any more." He then stormed off to the Kitchen, as much as a person with a wooden leg can storm off. Tonks rolled her eyes after him. "And I saw that," growled Mad-Eye.

There had been a wand-safety section in her Auror training, but she was hardly going to bring that up with Mad-Eye now. She thought back to the boring hour she had spent weekly in the first six months of her training. The lessons covered things like, over flourishing of your wand, how to use your wand in confined places, and when to replace your wand.

Tonks looked back at where Harry and Remus stood. "I'm- you're really lucky the Dursleys are out…" Harry was just saying.

"Lucky, ha!" Tonks laughed, "it was me who lured them out of the way. Sent them a letter by Muggle post telling them they'd been short-listed for the All-England Best Kept Suburban Lawn Competition. They're heading off to the prize-giving right now… or they think they are."

Tonks saw a small smile flick across Harry's face. He asked Remus when they were leaving. Remus told him soon and explained that they would not be going to the Burrow but had another safer place to go. The lights were now on in the kitchen and the group of wizards and witches followed Remus and Harry into the room.

Remus first introduced Mad-Eye and turned to Tonks. He smiled just a little, "And this is Nymphadora-"

Tonks gave a shudder as if a cold bucket of water had been tipped on her. She had known it was coming as soon as she had seen Remus small smile. "_Don't_ call me Nymphadora, Remus, it's Tonks."

Remus' smile had grown. "Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only."

"So would you if your fool of a mother had called you _Nymphadora_," mumbled Tonks.

As Remus introduced Harry to the rest of the guard, Tonks looked around the room. The place was immaculate. The kitchen sink sparkled, the wired gadgets on the bench top all looked brand new, and there was a smell of pine-freshness in the air. She never remembered her muggle Grandparents' house looking this clean, nor her dad, who was a Muggle-born, getting the kitchen sink to sparkle.

"Very clean, aren't they, these Muggles?" she noticed Harry give her a funny look, and tried to explain herself. "My dad's a Muggle-born and he's a right old slob. I suppose it varies, just as it does with wizards?"

Harry still didn't seem impressed with her. Tonks turned back to looking through the cupboards trying to hide her disappointment that Harry had not instantly liked her.

* * *

**A/N**: well there you go. I hope to get the next chapter up soon. Sorry that this one ends so abruptly, but the next chapter will carry on. Please review, I love to hear from you all. 


	10. The Long Way There

**A/N:** Hello. Guys thanks for all the reviews so far, they've been a great help. The definitely make me want to write faster. I tell you want if I didn't know what happens to Remus and Tonks, then I'd be jealous of them right now. They like each other so much. Well read on and enjoy.

**The Long way There.**

"Look what's been going on, I haven't heard anything from anyone, what's Vol - ?" Harry was stopped from finishing, by the sounds of shock and terror that came from the group of wizards.

Remus stood in the middle of the tidy muggle kitchen. Harry stood before him, the anger evident on his face. He had grown so much in the past year. He was clearly not a child anymore, but no more was he an adult. Remus remembered back to his years as a teenager, they were confusing and frustrating, and that had been without the added pressures that Harry had in his life.

Mad-Eye warned Harry to not say anymore till they were somewhere safe, his magical eye getting stuck as he said it. Asking Harry for a glass of water, he pulled the eye out. Remus paled and looked away. He vaguely heard Tonks make a protest as he struggled to keep his gag reflexes in check.

His stomach under control, Remus looked back to Harry. " How're we getting - wherever we're going?" Harry asked.

"Brooms," answered Remus. "Only way. You're too young to Apparate, they'll be watching the Floo Network and it's more then our life's worth to set up an unauthorised Portkey."

"Remus says you're a good flier," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep voice.

"He's excellent," said Remus. Time was getting away from them as Remus looked at his watch. "Anyway, you'd better go and get packed, Harry, we need to be ready to go when the signal comes."

"I'll come and help you," said Tonks, flashing a smile at Remus.

As Tonks bounced off after Harry, Remus looked out the window. Bill Weasley and Malcolm Riley, another Order member were to do a quick sky check while the guard broke into the Dursleys house. They were to send one red flash across the sky, to make the all clear. And one green spark to mark the go ahead.

* * *

Tonks followed Harry into the Hall and up the stairs. While they walked she tried to explain her earlier comments, "Funny place. It's bit _too_ clean, d'you know what I mean? Bit unnatural." Harry walked through into his room switching on the light as he went. "Oh, this is better."

Harry's room looked a bit more like Tonks apartment, not that she would never admit that to Harry. Her room had looked even worse when she was Harry's age. Harry started to pile all his books into his trunk. Tonks, unsure if she really wanted to go throwing dirty socks into some 15 year olds school trunk, turned her attentions to the mirror inside Harry's closet. Remus early words about her hair colour came back into mind.

"You know, I don't think violet's really my colour. D'you think it makes me look a bit peaky?" Tonks pulled at one of her violet spikes and looked over at Harry.

Harry stopped what he was doing and gave her a baffled look, "Err-."

Tonks didn't need anymore convincing then that. "Yeah it does." she closed her eyes and concentrated on seeing her self with her pink hair. Every other thought left her mind and pink hair was all she thought about. Then she felt the small twitch on her head and she knew that her hair had changed. She opened her eyes.

"How did you do that?" Harry looked at her astonished.

"I'm a Metamorphmagus," she moved her head around making sure the change was complete. She had once gone a whole day before she realised that the hair on the back of her head had not changed with the rest of it. She caught Harry's confused look in the mirror, "It means I can change my appearance at will. I was born one. I got top marks in Concealment and Disguise during my Auror training without any study at all, it was great."

Tonks watched as Harry forgot about the book still in his hand and gave Tonks his full attention. If he hadn't instantly liked her, he did now. "You're an Auror?" he asked impressed.

"Yeah," Tonks said proudly, "Kingsley is as well, he's bit higher up then me, though. I only qualified a year ago. Nearly failed on Stealth and Tracking. I'm dead clumsy, did you hear me break a plate when we arrived downstairs."

"Can you learn how to be a Metamorphmagus?" asked Harry, the book in his hand nearly slipping to the floor.

Tonks giggled thinking about how she would morph away spots when she was younger, she was sure Harry would have loved to not have to be 'the boy who lived' for a day. "Bet you wouldn't mind hiding that scar sometimes, eh?"

"No, I wouldn't mind," said Harry turning away. Tonks realised that she had been staring at his scar and looked away also.

"Well you have to learn the hard way, I'm afraid," Tonks said, "Metamorphmagus are really rare, they're born, not made. Most wizards need to use a wand, or potion, to change their appearance," Tonks looked around on the floor, she hadn't helped pack at all, and now Harry had stopped altogether, "But we've got to get going, Harry, we're supposed to be packing."

"Oh- yeah," said Harry. But they were never going to get it done fast enough.

"Don't be stupid, it'll be much quicker if I - _pack_!" Tonks said with a wave of her wand.

Tonks watched as Harry's possessions rose into the air and landed in a jumbled heap inside his trunk. "It's not very neat. My mum's got this knack of getting stuff to fit itself in neatly - she even get's the socks to fold themselves - but I've never mastered how she does it - it's a kind of flick - " Tonks tried to repeat her mum's flick.

One sock tried to do something, but gave up.

"Ah, well at least it's all in. that could do with a bit of cleaning, too." Tonks looked across at the empty owl cage. It was much cleaner the her Gaston's cage, he wouldn't even go near the thing, let alone get into it. "_Scourgify"_ Tonks tried, but she knew it was helpless before she even tried. "Well, that's a bit better - I've never quite got the hang of these householdy sort of spells. Right - got everything? Cauldron? Broom? Wow! - A Firebolt?"

Tonks eyes fixed enviously on to Harry's broom. It was a international-standard broomstick, and many of the teams in last years World Cup, had flown them. Tonks wanted one, but there was no way she would be able to afford one on her salary. She thought bitterly of her own Comet Two Sixty, never had it felt so inadequate.

"And I'm still riding a Comet Two Sixty," Tonks said. "Ah, well… wand still in your jeans? Both buttocks still on? OK, let's go. _Locomotor trunk."_

Tonks picked up the owl cage and charmed the trunk out of the room and down the stairs. Remus had just sealed a letter to the Dursleys, and the rest of the wizards were still going through the Kitchen with amusement. Hestia was laughing at a small bladed object that made Tonks giggle as well.

"Excellent," said Remus. Tonks had only been away from him for a few minutes, but still she felt a rush just seeing him again. "We've got about a minute, I think. We should probably get out into the garden so we're ready. Harry, I've left a letter telling your aunt and uncle not to worry-"

"They won't," interrupted Harry.

"- that you're safe-"

"That'll just depress them."

"- and you'll see them next summer."

"Do I have to?"

Lupin smiled but said nothing as he went to pick up his broom that had been leaning against the wall.

Tonks watched as Mad-Eye placed a Disillusionment charm on Harry. Tonks always liked watching the ex-Auror at work. He was skilled and still had a lot to teach, in between the madness. "Nice one, Mad-Eye," she said. Harry was now almost invisible.

Mad-Eye unlocked the back door and moved out on to the lawn. As Tonks followed, she thought that perhaps the Dursleys had good reason to believe that they had won a lawn competition, the lawn was sensational. The rest of the group spread out across the grass.

Mad-Eye began telling Harry the flight formation that they would be using, the idea was to make him feel reassured that he would be safe. Tonks looked over when she heard the world _killed_. Harry's face had become creased with concern, as Mad-Eye started on what would happen if the whole guard was killed, save for Harry.

"Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye," Tonks said once Mad-Eye had finished, "He'll think we're not taking this seriously." She saw Harry relax just a little, before she turned to her broom and began to strap Harry's trunk and owl cage to the harness on her broom.

"Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!" Remus shouted out.

Tonks looked over at Remus, his movements were rife with tension. His keen eyes focused on the sky above. Tonks fought the compulsion to go and calm him down. Now was not the right time, but she was sure now that her regard for him was returned. Sirius had made enough hints, that she couldn't be in doubt.

"Second Signal, let's go!" Remus called out as green sparks shot out across the sky.

* * *

By the time they landed in the small square across from the Headquarters, Remus' body was stiff, and he was more then a little relived that the old broom he had borrowed from Sirius was still in one piece. His fingers were numb, his nose ran like a tap, and he could feel the start of a chesty cough coming on.

Remus quieted down Harry as he turned to see Tonks quickly unbuckling Harry's trunk. He smiled at her pink hair, he tried not to dwell on the idea that she had changed it for him.

"Here, I'll help," he whispered to her. In one hand he held Sirius broom and in the other he griped one side of the trunk. Tonks smiled her thanks. She passed her broom off to Hestia, before griping the other side of the trunk with one hand and the owl cage with the other.

As they moved across the road Tonks was glad to see that the rest of the group had their wands at the ready. Mad-Eye had taken care of the street lamps, once again. Remus could just make out the blurred shape in front of him that was Harry. He saw the piece of paper with the Orders address on it float in front of the blurry Harry.

"What's the Order of the - ? Harry said quietly.

"Not here, boy!" cut in Mad-Eye. "Wait till we're inside." with that said he took the piece of paper off Harry and set fire to it. The small charred bit's of paper drifted off in the wind.

Remus watched as Harry's blurred shape looked up and down the square. The weight of Harry's trunk on his already stiff arms was taxing.

"But where's- ?"

"Think about what you've just memorised," Remus said quietly.

He was glad Harry was a fast thinker, for soon after, number Twelve Grimmauld Place pushed its self into existence. Remus could feel the strain in his arm giving out and was happy to move forward into the house where he could put the trunk down. He lent forward, struggling to pull his wand from his robes. Juggling the broom and his wand Remus managed to tap the door in a non-verbal spell that opened the door. He urged Harry in and warned him not to touch anything.

Remus gave out a muffled groan as he put down the trunk just inside the hall. He looked over to Tonks, she mouthed the word _heavy. _Mad-Eye put the street lights back on and shut the door. Harry suddenly materialized in front of Remus as Mad-Eye removed the Disillusionment Charm, before turning around and casting a spell on the lamps that lit the hall.

"Oh, Harry, it's lovely to see you!" Molly Weasley had come up from the kitchen and was now talking to Harry in a whispered voice. She turned to the group of wizards, "He's just arrived, the meetings started."

Remus was annoyed that they had been compelled to move their Harry moving plan to a Order meeting night, but it was unavoidable. Remus had secretly hoped that he would have the benefit of missing Snivellus report, but Remus should be so lucky.

The rest of the wizards gave noises of excitement, Remus joined in sarcastically. Tonks who stood beside him gave a short of laughter. Remus elbowed her, to try and get her to stay quiet. She flashed him a cheeky grin as she walked down the hall and into the kitchen.

* * *

"Having a guard outside the entrance isn't enough. I know that all the Death Eaters are capable of getting around the Department of Mysteries, with out getting lost. I have grave doubts about the Orders abilities in this." Snape shot spitefully down the table at Author.

"Wait, if the Death Eaters have floor plans, or anything like that, then they have a man inside the department?" Tonks asked Snape.

"Oh, how good it is to see an Auror with such an incisive mind." Snape's lips twitched at a smile as he watch the colour rise in Tonks cheeks. " Yes, we have a man inside the department. But his identity is kept hidden by the Death Eater's secret keeper. As that's not me I can't tell you, otherwise I would. Trust me."

"That's not the point. The thing is that Severus is right, we should all know the lay out of the department. If it comes down to it we don't want to be pulling out floor plans and trying to navigate our way around in a time of crisis," reasoned Remus.

"Yeah, well we have floor plans, don't we? Bill?" Sirius asked Bill.

"Yeah, hang on." Bill rummaged through a pile of large parchments. "Here! Floor plan. Dude these are hectic."

Tonks glanced down at the complicated sprawl of hand drawn plans. "And the D.E.'s know all this already? For real?"

Snape gave a curt nod. When he spoke, his voice was cold and held no emotion, "Their devotion to their cause is overwhelming."

Tonks was sure she heard Sirius mutter something about crazy freaks.

"Well, I suggest we all take a copy of this plan and study it over the next week." Dumbledore sat the head of the table, overlooking the meeting through his half moon glasses. He held out his hand for the floor plan and it was passed from the other end of the table where Bill sat. With the floor plan in one and his wand in the other Dumbledore taped the parchment. Instantly a copy of the plan appeared in front of every Order member. "Right, if you have no other news Severus? No - well then does anyone else have anything they would like to add? No - well the I think that we should call an end to the meeting and let Molly get Dinner ready for those hungry Children of hers." Dumbledore smiled at the room at large and made his exit through the fire place.

Tonks watched as Snape got up to leave through the front door. Many of the wizards followed him from the room, either wanting to ask Snape a question about the Death Eaters, or making their way to the front door. Tonks got up to make her good byes in the hall. She was staying for dinner but she could do with stretching her legs.

As she made her way down the hall she was careful not to speak to loudly as to not wake up Mrs Black. She stood at the back of the crowd that had surrounded Snape. He seemed torn to her, between liking the attention and his desire to get away from the crowd, but then he was a hard card to read, _could be wrong _she thought to herself.

"Not you too?" Remus whispered to Tonks

"What?" she asked.

"You're not in wonder of Snape as well are you?"

"Oh, yeah, don't ya know it," laughed Tonks.

"Good. I couldn't have you liking him. We wouldn't be able to be friends anymore."

"That's a bit rough. I've read his file- I'd be worried if he was normal."

"File? Like his law records?"

"Yeah. And he's had some messed up things happen to him. D'you know his mum died when he was only 16. Overdosed herself with drought of the living dead."

"I - I didn't know that."

"Don't feel guilty. He's still a git. And he's story isn't as depressing as some of the other crims I've met." Tonks turned and gave Remus a smile to help endorse the point.

The front door opened and the crowed of wizards moved on out, apparating from the top step. Molly, Remus, and Tonks moved forward and locked the door after them all. When they turned around, the Weasley children, Hermione, and Harry all stood on the first step of the staircase.

Tonks started forward to the kitchen, her eyes on the long curtains that hid Mrs Black, watching for any hint that they would fly open. Pain shot through Tonks shin at the same time there was a loud crash at the umbrella stand tipped over. Tonks fell to the floor, as the pain shot through her body in hot waves. No matter how many times she walked into things it still hurt.

"Tonks!" cried Molly.

"I'm Sorry!" managed Tonks, "It's that stupid umbrella stand, it's the second time I've tripped over it today." but it was no use talking anymore, Tonks words were lost under Mrs. Blacks Screams.

Remus Quickly pulled Tonks off the ground as he dashed forward to pull at the curtains that had sprung open. Molly wasn't far behind her. All along the hall the paintings began to howl out their protest. Tonks picked up the large umbrella stand and moved it against the wall. She was still trying to apologise over the noise.

Molly had now given up on the curtain, and was working on stunning the other paintings. The door to the kitchen was thrown open and Sirius bounded up the stairs. He stood yelling at his mother for a while before he helped Remus close the curtains. Sirius turned around to Harry and smiled up at him. Tonks had never seen either of them look so happy.

* * *

Remus sat with elbows on the table, his hands clasped together in front of him. He could hear the floor boards creak as Harry, Hermione, and the Weasley's made their way slowly up stairs to bed. After they had all been well feed, Sirius had let Harry ask anything he wanted about the Order. Tonks, Arthur, Sirius, and Remus had explained what they could. Harry was not told that Voldemort was after a prophecy that was stored in the department of Mysteries. On the other hand, Remus had told him that he was unable to join the Order.

"Nothing the Order does is going to be any worse than what Harry's been through already." Sirius fixed his friend with a hard stare.

Reaching for his empty glass, Remus spun it around on his finger. "Yes, But would you have wanted Harry to have willing gone and done the things he's done?"

Sirius rubbed the back of his neck. "No. Your right Moony. Just because he's survived that danger before, doesn't mean I should let him willing do it now."

"Don't think being a member will stop him from standing up to fight anyway," mused Tonks.

Sirius laughed. "You're right there. He's his fathers son, his mothers as well, come to think of it."

"True. They never missed a chance to stand up and fight for what was right." Remus pushed his chair back and stood up.

"You going?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, that broom ride was tiring." Remus went and put his empty glass in the sink.

"I'm off too. Work in the morning." Tonks gave a wave to Weasley's and Sirius.

Together Remus and Tonks made their way quietly down the hall. As they passed the umbrella stand Remus leaned over and whispered to Tonks, "Watch out. There's that stand."

Tonks shook her head. "Shut up. You know I tripped on it on my way in this afternoon as well?"

"You didn't - you did." Remus suppressed a laugh as he opened the front door.

The air was cold outside, summer seemed to be disappearing already. Tonks hugged herself. A bright piece of pink hair blew into her face. She shooed it away by flicking her head.

"So how's you're your leg? It's not had a good day?" joked Remus.

"It bloody hurts. That stand is going to be the death of me I swear." the piece of hair blew into her face again.

Remus watched as she tried unsuccessfully to flick it away again. "Here," said Remus moving towards her to brush the hair from her face. His fingers lightly brushed her soft check, the sensation sent shivers up Remus spine. As he focussed on brushing away the piece of hair, the rest of the world no longer exited to Remus Lupin. His caught the strand of surprisingly silky pink hair. As he tucked the hair behind Tonks ear, he allowed his fingers to trace her ear down to her neck.

Suddenly he felt Tonks' hand around the back of his neck, he was sure he had stopped breathing. Tonks was leaning closer to him, and before he could even think of the consequences, he leaned closer to Tonks. Very slowly, and very softly, and very briefly, they kissed.

* * *

**AN:** Phew! About time they did that. Tell me how I went with the first real mushy bit. Go on, go review now!

P.S. sorry it took them so long. ;)


	11. The Morning After

-**Chapter 11, The Morning After.**

Tonks woke before her alarm. The sun was only just creeping through her curtains. She closed her eyes and tried to remember every detail of the night before. A big grin spread across her face as she remembered just how Remus lips had brushed aginst her own. A warmness sprung up inside her, that had nothing to do with the warm weather.

She leaped out of bed, turning the alarm off before it had a chance to sound. She gathered herself a bowl of sugary cereal. As she sat down on the chair closest to the window, hoping for a breeze, the silly grin was still plastered on her face. Gaston swooped in through the window, giving a puzzled look at Tonks and the fact that she was awake. Tonks let out a little giggle and passed him an owl treat.

Tonks happy mood didn't leave her all morning. She was early to work, and had managed not to trip, stumble, or knock anything over all morning. This had to be a record. Tonks was sure she hadn't felt this giddy about a boy since 5th year.

"Oi, Tonks," came Steve's voice over the cubical wall, "you there?"

"Sure, am Steve." Tonks replied, smiling like an idiot.

Steve hooked one arm over the dividing wall, and looked down at Tonks. "Just haven't heard anything break all morning. What's the go? You taking some sort of performance potion or somethink?"

"Ha ha, Steve. I'm just having a good day. There doesn't have to be any reason."

"Come on. Is it a steadier, or… it's a focus-in potion in'nt it. Ya know that they're addictive?"

"I'm not taking focus-in, Steve. I'm allergic."

"Oh, really?" asked Steve, "What happens?"

"I start to morph into anything that I'm focusing on. So if I'm here doing paperwork, my hair would turn white with black words. Or my nose would shape into a quill. Stuff like that."

"Cool. Well now I know what I'm gonna slip into your tea when you're not looking." Steve ducked out of sight with a wicked little laugh.

"You're an idiot!" Tonks heard him laugh harder.

Even Steve's teasing hadn't taken the silly grin of Tonks face. She put her head down and continued to work through her paperwork. Her paperwork was becoming very thin, and she hoped that soon they would put her back on to a team working an open case. It seemed that Scrimgeour, was still annoyed at Tonks for mouthing off at the meeting that had happened after the Tri-Wizard death.

"There you are." Tonks turned around and saw her friend Trish walking towards her. "I swear I get lost when ever I come into this office."

Trish pulled an empty chair up to Tonks desk. "So you wanted to meet for lunch?"

Tonks put her quill down. "Yeah, I got news."

Trish perked up. "News, hey. Come on spill. It's 'bout that chap isn't it?"

"It might be."

"Ha. It's not a potion." Steve re-appeared over the wall. "It's a guy!"

"Shut up, Steve." Tonks had turned a vivid shade of red, "Come on Trish, let's go to lunch."

"Oh come on Tonks, tell us the details." Steve called out to Tonks and Trish as they walked away.

Tonks turned around, grabbing a spear bit of parchment of a empty desk, she balled it up and threw it at Steve. He ducked down and the parchment ball went flying to nowhere.

"Tonks! This is a work place not a school yard." Senior Auror, Dawlish, yelled at her.

"Ah, sorry, sir." Tonks said and quickened her steps towards the elevators.

"So," Trish said, looking at Tonks from the other side of the Burger King table, "Tell me, what happened? I'm waiting."

Tonks took a slurp of her soft drink before answering, "We kissed."

Trish's face lit up in a grin. "And then?"

"And then… well … nothing really."

"Nothing!?!"

"Err… yeah. He smiled at me and then mumbled something. Then we sort of both said that we had to get going. And that was it."

Trish sat pointing a limp chip at Tonks. "So you didn't go for coffee after, or a walk, or back to his house or anything?"

Tonks took a bite of her burger, it tasted hollow and she struggled to swallow it. She had been on such a high after kissing Remus that she hadn't noticed that he had been so desperate to get away from her right after. Was she a terrible kisser? Did he not like her that way? Did he think it was a mistake to kiss her? Maybe he wasn't single, had he been hiding a girlfriend somewhere?

"Do you think he has a girlfriend already and that's why he took off like that?" Tonks asked.

"What? Where did that come from? I don't know the guy… how can I tell?"

"You've made me realise that he sort of took off after. Why would he do that?"

"Hey girl, no. You really like this guy I can tell. And I reckon that he's crazy about you too. So I'm sure he's just a shy guy and freaked himself out by kissing."

"Yeah I guess. Good kisser too."

Trish laughed at Tonks. Tonks smiled back at her friend. She was sure that Trish was right about Remus being shy, but her mood was slightly less bouncy for the rest of the day. For the life of her she couldn't get the idea out of her head that all was not going to go smoothly for her and Remus.

* * *

"Ah, Sirius, thought you'd be in here. Kingsley! Hello." Remus said as he crept through the kitchen door at number 12, making sure not to disturb the paintings in the hall. 

"See Kingsley, some people can get in here with out ringing the bell." Sirius mocked Kingsley.

"Well I didn't want to be rude and just walk in." rebuked Kingsley.

"Hmm, good point, it is rather rude to just walk in," Sirius said in a fake pensive voice. "Really Remus, you should know better." He joked.

Kingsley let out his deep booming laugh, Remus on the other had hardly smiled at all. As he moved to sit down, he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Sirius and Kingsley exchange looks.

"Like I said, I just came to drop off the report for Dumbledore." Kingsley said as, he stood up to leave. "I'm already late for work so I better get moving. Good day."

Remus waved goodbye and Sirius got up to lock the front door behind Kingsley.

"What's wrong, Moony?" Sirius asked the moment he re-entered the room.

"Err.. It's just…," Remus looked about the room, "Where is Harry and the Weasley's?"

"They're all cleaning up stairs. Now come tell me, you look like you've just found out how the world ends?"

Remus dragged his hands over his face, bringing them together to steeple in front of his mouth. "I kissed her, last night."

"Tonks? You kissed her? What happened? Did she not… err… reciprocate?"

"Worse. She did. She kissed me back."

"Remus, help me out here my friend, young Miss Tonks, with whom you are smitten with, kisses you back, and you're upset about this. Why?"

Remus shook his head. "I'm a werewolf, or have you forgotten? _She had better to love a dream._"

"She's better to love - what's that?" Sirius slammed his hand on the table.

"It's Shakespeare."

Sirius let a long breath as he ran his hands through his hair. "I don't care who said it first. What I do care about is you happiness." Sirius was trying very hard to keep his voice calm, "Now here you have a wonderful young lady, she's smart, pretty, funny, fighting for the right side, and what do you do? You hate the fact that you both like each other. Merlin, she even knows you're a werewolf; thinks it's cool, even."

"She is wonderful," Remus said in a low distant voice, "that's just why I can't ruin her life with the problems of mine."

"How are you going to ruin it, she's falling for you?"

"What if I bite her? What if… I'm too old for her. She could find someone better."

"No she couldn't, I'd even venture to say that you could do better. You know someone who doesn't fall over ten times a day."

"Look, it's not going to happen. I just want to know how I tell her nothing is going to happen?" Remus looked pleadingly at his friend.

Sirius shook his head, "I'm not gonna help you there. I wont help you stuff this up."

Remus stood up, "Fine. I'll leave then."

Remus walked out of the room slamming the door so hard that he was sure the paintings would start to yell at any moment. Luckily they didn't, and Remus was able to leave the house without having to answer to his friend.

* * *

By the time that Tonks was walking up the front steeps of number 12, she had worked herself into a frantic state. She was hoping against hope that Remus would be there for dinner as well, with a sneaky smile for her and an offer of ice-cream after dinner. So with her stomach in knots of anxiety, Tonks gave a small knock at the front door. 

It was Sirius that answered. "Tonks. Hi, how are you? Have you spoken to Remus today?"

Tonks noticed that he was whispering even more then he needed to. "No. Why? He's talked to you hasn't he?"

Tonks tried to smile, but Sirius concerned face made it hard. She was now sure that Remus taking off so quickly the night before, had been more meaningful then she had first thought. Her heart sank.

Sirius motioned her inside. Tonks slip through the gap into the hallway. "Is he here?"

Sirius shook his head, as he locked the door. "He came over this morning to talk to me."

"What did he say?" Then a thought struck Tonks, "What did you say?"

"Shhh." Sirius looked up the stairwell as if making sure there was no one there. "He told me what happened. He's freaked out. He likes you a lot, but he's scared that he's too old, and that he's too dangerous. He doesn't understand how you could love him. I told him that he was a twat. He didn't really like that, so he left in a bad mood."

Tonks was surprised to find that tears where welling up in her eyes. "But I do like him. I don't care about those things. They make him who he is."

Sirius gave her a reassuring grin, "I know. Your like your mum. You can't give up on him. That's what he'll try to make you do. But don't let him. He likes you, he needs this, he needs you."

Tonks nodded, and manager to get out a weak, "O.K."

* * *

**A/N:** AHHH! Sorry it's been so long, but the silly season took over, and the next thing I know it's New Years, and I've visited both sides of the family, meet relatives I haven't seen in ten years, been dragged along on a family trip, and caught a bad cold. Hope this chapter is O.K. let me know what you think. 


	12. A Small Charm and a Bag of Peas

**AN: **It took me a little longer than I would have hoped to think out how this chapter would happen. So tell me how you think I went with this and enjoy.

**Chapter 12:**

**A Small Charm and a Bag of Peas**

"Remus, come on, she doesn't care about any of your hang ups."

"Look if this the way this conversation is going, then I'm not having it." Remus shot.

"So leave all pissed off again. It's not going to change the fact that Tonks likes-"

"Why do you have to be so annoying?"

Remus and Sirius were sitting in the master bedroom of Number 12, feeding Buckbeak left over's from last nights dinner.

"It's like this, Moony, I have no life. You have a chance at having a life and I'm trying to live mine through you, but you just don't want to live."

"I don't want to stuff up Tonks life just so that I can have one."

Sirius let a grunt of frustration, "This conversation just goes round in circles."

"You're the one that keeps on wanting to have it."

"True. I keep hoping that you'll change your view. The fact is that you can't avoid her forever. There is a meeting soon."

"I know. I was hoping I would have figured it all out by then." Remus fiddled with one of Buckbeak's loose feathers as he talked, brushing it against his fingertips.

"Yeah like that's going to happen."

"Well, I've still got some time."

Sirius look at his friend, and for a moment he changed into serious Sirius, "Hey, Moony, just promise me that you'll talk to her. Keeping up the silent avoiding, that will really hurt her. Girls are better if you just tell then no, rather than nothing."

Remus stopped playing with the feather for a while, "You do realise that you gave me advice on how to let her down?"

"Yeah and it was for her benefit, not yours."

* * *

Tonks sat at her desk, in her cubical. The windows let in bright streams of sunlight, yet she was sure that it was actually raining outside. At least that is the way she felt. She had not see or heard from Remus since they kissed a few nights ago. Even worse was the feeling that he was avoiding her. He hadn't been there the times that she had dropped by at number 12 for dinner, her owl to his house had gone unanswered, and then last night they had both been there to congratulations to Harry for getting off at his hearing, and Remus had sat at the other end of the table ignoring her all night. She didn't understand; he had been the one to kiss her.

"Tonks," Tonks turned around to see one of the senior Aurors looking at her, a scroll in hand, "It seems your desk work is getting a bit slim, so I've been asked to let you in on our case. We believe that we are tracking down a person or small group, manufacturing the illicit potion "Blue Ring". You'll be working mainly from this office on the paperwork involved. Read up and report to me when you're done."

He passed Tonks the thick scroll in his hand.

"Yes sir." Tonks said.

Tonks shook her head. Blue Ring potion was a favourite torture potion of the Death Eaters in the last war. Yet more evidence that the Dark Lord was in fact back and the Ministry was still too scared to admit it. It made Tonks so mad that people who were smart enough to rise to the positions that they held, couldn't see the stupidity in denying the Dark Lords return.

Tonks took a deep breath and kept her mouth shut. Last time she had question her superiors on this very point, she had been punished with nearly two months deskwork. She wasn't going to try her luck when she only just got a case to work on. Pushing her dark thoughts of Remus' silence out of her mind, she unrolled the scroll and concentrated on her work.

* * *

"…certain that the Dark Lord will have something planned for the trip to Hogwarts. It most likely it will be at Kings Cross station or on the way. The Dark Lord has been asking me many questions about the security on platform 9 ¾. It's unlike that he would try anything himself anywhere there will be wizards, but it would be my recommendation to have our own security on the train, under cover of course. In addition, it would be advisable to have as much security on the walk to Kings Cross, as we can.

"That is all for my report. I will add, that I know for sure that there are more and more poisons and illicit potions being passed out into circulation, so be careful what you touch, drink, eat, etcetera." Snape sat down at his place to the right of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore was the next person to rise from his chair. "Thank you Severus. Arthur will be taking names for those able to help with security on the trip to Kings Cross and the train ride to Hogsmeade.

"On a lighter note, many of you have already heard that Harry had all charges against him dropped at his hearing the other day. There were a few initial obstacles that the Ministry tried, but as unfair as it was, we were able get this small win.

"With nothing else, meeting over."

Tonks stood up straight away, making a beeline for Snape. After reading up on her new case, she had concluded that the Death Eaters were behind the Blue Ring making. However, before she made it to Snape, a hand grasped at her arm. Stunned, she spun around to find out the owner of the arm, only to see the briefest view of Remus before tumbling to the ground.

"I really don't think you should ever spin." Remus offered his hand to Tonks.

Tonks shook her head as she took Remus hand up. "So you're talking to me now."

Remus rubbed his hand over his mouth. "Yeah. I've been rude. But we need to talk."

Tonks looked around the room, she saw that Snape was almost at the door and it wouldn't be long before she missed her chance to talk to him. "We do, but I can't right now. You stay and have dinner, come by my apartment after." With that said, she dashed across the room to Snape.

"Professor Snape?"

Snape turned around to face Tonks. He was a tall man and he had a way of making anyone feel very short. Tonks had been petrified of him when he was her teacher and she realised, standing right in front of him, that she still was. His lips curled at the sight of her.

"Yes, Nymphadora?"

"I go by Tonks actually… but that's fine you call me what you like sir."

"Get on with it, girl."

"Right, you see I've been put on a case, at work, tracking down the makers of the Blue Ring potion. It's been found in circulation lately. I was wondering if it's coming straight from the Death Eaters or if they have an outside supplier?"

Snape's lip un curled. "Who's leading this case?"

"Err… that big guy…err… Haman."

"Haman. That's not good; I've had a lot to do with him over the years. Death Eaters are making the Blue Ring. I've been able to tamper with some of the batches, made them less effective, but not all of them. Diricawl feathers are a key ingredient, stop them from getting the feathers and you will hold up production, as well as perhaps catching a few Death Eaters."

"Thank you, sir." Tonks called out to Snape's already retreating back.

* * *

It hadn't taken Tonks long to leave Number 12. Remus had watched her disappear through the door, his heart heavy. He hated how he had been avoiding her, but he could see no other way of saving her from him. Standing at the door of Tonks apartment, he didn't know what he would say to her to let her down gently. With not even the words to start with, Remus knocked on the door.

A crash came from inside the apartment before the door opened. "Hello." A short girl, with bright red streaks through her jet black hair, stood in the doorway. Behind her, Tonks sat on one of the only two chairs holding a bag of frozen peas to her head.

"Tonks hit her 'ead on the cupboard door when you knocked. You're the friend then that she's waiting for. I'll be leaving." The girl turned around to Tonks, "Now keep that bag there for a few more minutes, otherwise you'll have a right bump. Laters."

Remus stepped inside the apartment as the girl shut the door behind her. His heart was beating fast, and his mouth was dry. He had no idea what he was going to say to Tonks. Why had he come here to her apartment where they would be so alone? He looked over to Tonks for an explanation on who the girl was. That was as good a starting point as any.

"That's Kim. She lives in the building. She's a muggle. Nevertheless, you didn't come to meet her, so what was it? An apology, an explanation, a what? It better be good."

Remus looked at Tonks; she looked seriously annoyed, even with the ridiculous bag of peas pressed to head. "I ki- … well you see… the other night when we-we kissed."

"Yeah I remember, it was when you where talking to me."

"Yeah I was. I shouldn't have behaved like that, which was very wrong, I am sincerely sorry for that. But I can't let myself kiss you again. I can't put myself into a position were I might be tempted to. Do you understand?" Remus sat down on the other chair, his eyes watching Tonks'.

Tonks head hurt, but her insides, her heart, her soul, whatever it was that made you love, hurt more. Remus had just given her the most straightforward, sincere apology, she had ever heard and now he never wanted to be alone with her again. "But that can't be it? We really had something."

"I'm not the type of person that can be allowed to have something."

"Allowed?" Tonks was starting to see that Sirius was right about Remus' reasoning, "You think that just because you're a werewolf, you're not _allowed _to have a life in all the time it's not the night of a full moon? Remus I don't care about that."

"Tonks you don't know what it's like. Besides I'm far too old for you."

"Remus, I'm falling for you."

Remus had to look away to stop himself from lunging forward a kissing Tonks again. Her apartment was just as messy as it had been the first time he had been there. Dishes piled in the sink, dirty clothes in a heap on the floor, a smell of mould came from the bathroom that was the size of a cupboard. His eyes drifted back to Tonks, and her stupid bag of peas. "Why do you have that bag of peas on your head?"

Slightly depressed at Remus' first words after her declaration of love, Tonks answered anyway, "Kim told you I hit my head when I stood up into the cupboard door to answer your knock." Remus still looked confused. "She's a muggle. My Grandma Tonks used to do this too. It's like putting a chill charm on a bump or bruise. It's a bit hard to put a chill charm on your own head, so I went with the flow."

Remus lent over and put his hand over the hand Tonks was holding the bag with. Slowly he pulled Tonks hand and the bag away from the large red welt on Tonks forehead. He let go of Tonks hand and moved it back to her face, pushing her hair back. With his free hand, Remus pulled his wand out and cast the simple chill charm on the injury.

With more restraint than he thought that he had, Remus pulled away from Tonks. He stood and walked to the door. He turned around to say goodbye, Tonks was looking down at the bag of half frozen peas in her hands. "I'll see you at Number 12 sometime." Tonks barely nodded her head in recognition.

* * *

**AN: **Now that you have read the chapter, how about reviewing and letting me know what you think. 


	13. Twat!

**A/N:** Hey guys. This chapter took me awhile because I couldn't quite work out how to write what I wanted to. I blame it on the fact that it's chapter 13.

Anyway, I'm looking for a good beta, so if you know anyone or your interested, let me know. Enjoy.

**Chapter 13**

**Twat!**

Tonks felt like rubbish. When she had woken that day, she felt like all the energy and happiness in her body had been drained. Everything in her life felt somehow mute and unreal. Things, like what her boss thought of her, held little to no meaning to her now. The last few mornings had been much the same, with her feelings getting darker by the day.

It had been like this since Remus had ignored her declaration. They had meet a few times since, at dinner at Number 12, or when one of them took over from the other for guard duty. The kept a friendly indifference to each other. Although Tonks had to admit to herself that she felt happiest those days when Remus was around, even when he didn't meet her eyes.

Tonks now sat in a questioning room, depressed and taking notes. Her superior was grilling a suspect in relation to the Blue Ring poison case. Taking notes had been Tonks main task while working the case, she was also given the opportunity to write up observation reports. This was meant to be better then the paper work that she had been stuck doing the past month,

"So, on the night of the August 12th, you left your apartment at what time?" The interrogator asked the tired suspect for the fourth time.

It was an interview technique, to have the suspect repeat their story over and over. Then find where their story changed or become disjointed, and then you can pin point where they are lying. Effective, but slow.

Tonks scribbled down her notes on the session, as the suspect spat out his reply, "I told you! Eight. Eight-o-five, maybe. It was around then."

Tonks mind began to wander. The next day she would be part of the security team for Harry's trip from Number 12 to Kings Cross. She had been asked to disguise herself. The Death Eaters would be out, and as far she knew, no one knew that she was part of the Order, except the Order members.

The racked her brain, thinking of all the different disguises she could use. An older, rather bookish woman that Tonks had seen at a rare trip to Marks and Spencer's Food recently, came to mind. The woman had been very fastidious about choosing her strawberries, picking up all the punnets at least twice. She would be fun to play.

Tonks' attention was brought back to the questioning room when her superior coughed loudly. "Do you need a break Tonks?"

"Err, sorry sir. I'm right." Tonks put her mind back on the job, and left her disguise ideas for later.

* * *

Remus sat on top of an old dark mahogany dresser, it creaked under the strain, but the old wood held out. The room smelt like a farm, and Remus tried to breath only through his month to block the stench. Sirius stood throwing dead rats to the Hippogriff that was sitting on top of the large four poster bed.

"So, you still thinking of coming tomorrow?"

Sirius turned to his friend. "Of course. Your not going to try and talk me out of it are you?"

Remus thought about it for a moment, "No. It wouldn't help, besides I'd like to see you get some fresh air."

"Merlin! Fresh air, what does that smell like?" Sirius said with a mirthless laugh.

"Well, it wont be that fresh. It is London air after all." They both laughed.

Sirius threw Buckbeck the last rat. "Tell, what's happening with you and the lovely Miss Tonks?"

"Don't start at me about that."

"You like her, and she likes-"

"She hardly knows me. If she did know me, then she wouldn't fancy me." Remus said bitterly.

"You're a twat, you know?" Sirius snapped back at his friend, "You're hardly a man of mystery. You're more a man with deep rooted issues of self-confidence."

"I'm not a twat." Remus tried to defend himself.

"Yes you are. If you weren't then you'd be dating a young, attractive, if a little clumsy, witch."

"Well it doesn't matter now. I've pushed her away and missed my chance."

"Pushed her away? Yes. Missed your chance? No. She's still very smitten with you. I bet that if you where to say sorry and put a few moves on her tonight , then you be snogging in no time." Sirius said with a certainty that Remus couldn't argue with.

"You really do talk some rubbish."

"Trust me Moony, I know about these things." Sirius cupped his friends shoulder.

"Fine I'll do it then. I'll apologise." Remus said reluctantly.

* * *

At lunch time Tonks had found an inter office memo from Mr Weasley, telling her that Ron and Hermione had become the new Gryffindor prefects, and in honour of the achievement, there would be a small party at Number 12 that night. Now Tonks stood in her work bathroom, touching up her make-up. Her work clothes of brown cords and a navy button down shirt would have to do, but at least she could change her hair from a plain dark brown bob, to something more fun.

Twenty minutes later Tonks was slipping thought the door of Number 12, her hair a tomato red colour, reaching down to her waist. It was Sirius who had let her in, and Tonks couldn't help but notice the childish grin on his face.

"What are you grinning about?" she whispered.

Sirius gave a bark of a laugh that made the curtains covering Mrs black shake. "I had a little talk to Remus today. About you."

Tonks heart gave a flutter. She walked down the steps into the kitchen, missing the last one, righted herself quickly and glanced around. The long table had been pushed to one side, a few bowls of wizard candy on it, the rest of the food was still being cooked. A red banner hung above the table praising the new prefects. Remus stood lining up bottles of butter beer at one end of the table.

"Wow. So this is what you get, just for having a shiny little badge." Tonks said.

"Oi, Remus. Didn't you tell me to remind you that, there was something that you had to tell Tonks?" Sirius said in a mock thoughtful tone.

Remus gave a look of reproof to Sirius, before turning to Tonks. "Err, yes."

A light knock on the front door, travelled down to break the silence in the room.

"I'll get. It is my house after all." Sirius was out the door before the other two could say anything.

"So?" asked Tonks.

"I'm sorry. For being a twat." Remus said a little to quickly.

"What?" Tonks said confused, "You're sorry for being a twat."

"Yes. Sincerely sorry."

"Oh! Well… err…that's…err. What are you talking about?" Tonks asked still confused.

Before Remus had time to explain himself, Sirius was bounding down the stairs to the kitchen with Kingsley right behind him. "Look who learnt how to knock without waking my ma."

"That must be an outstanding achievement for you Kingsley." Remus said as he moved over to shake Kingsley's hand.

"Huge achievement." Kingsley joked.

"Sirius, why don't you help me get the rest of this food out." said Remus moving towards the oven.

Tonks stood rooted to the spot, still unable to work out, what part of Remus behaviour he was trying to apologise for.

"You all right there Tonks?" asked Kingsley, "Just you look a little lost."

"No, I mean I'm fine. How is your case going?" Tonks said pulling her self out of her confusion.

* * *

"So Moony, what did you say?" Sirius asked as he piled roast potatoes into a serving bowl.

"I said that I was sorry for being a twat." Remus put the large roast beef on to a plate, before tapping his wand to it. The beef instantly sliced itself.

"Then?"

"Then, she asked what I meant." they walked over to the table and put down the beef and potatoes.

"And, you said: for brushing her off, for being distant, for everything over the past few weeks that should have been the start of our passionate relationship."

"No, I didn't say anything, you two came in."

"What!?" Sirius thrust the empty pot in his hand roughly into the sink. The noise made Tonks and Kingsley to turn quizzically towards them.

"Keep your voice down."

"But you didn't fix anything. You twat."

"Really could we stop with the twat?" they moved back to the table with various steamed veggies.

"Ok, you're a c-" Sirius began.

"Twat is fine." Remus said loud enough for Tonks and Kingsley to look at the pair again. "I'll fix it. Later."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'll enter into a doomed relationship. But only to shut you up."

"Fine with me." Sirius smiled broadly.

* * *

The party was in full swing now. There was a weird sisters song playing in the background far to quietly for Tonks liking. She sipped some of her butterbeer and felt the familiar warm feeling spread though her body. Her sprits had been high all evening. She wasn't sure what Remus had been apologising for, but she had decided it was a good start to fixing things between them. Perhaps, Tonks thought, they might get together yet.

Tonks tried to listen to Ron, as he explain his new broomstick to her, but she kept glancing over to where Hermione was talking to Remus. A few time Tonks even caught Remus looking over at her. When this happened they would smile sheepishly at each other.

"Oi Ron. Don't you be boring Tonks to death about your broomstick." Bill had appeared at Tonks side.

"He's not boring me Bill." Tonks said, seeing Ron's face burn with embarrassment.

"Oh that's right you like brooms and stuff." Bill said, "Tonks, I know you like me, but changing your hair to look like me, it's going a little far."

Tonks hit Bill playfully. "If your hair was this long, your mother would probably lay and egg."

"Lay a grown chicken more like it." Quipped Ron.

They all laughed.

"Tonks?" Remus had emerged right next to Tonks while they had been laughing.

"Remus." Tonks surprised herself, by putting her hand on Remus' arm.

Remus looked surprised as well. "I was wondering if I might be able to explain, that … err…thing to you now."

Tonks nodded and they moved away from the crowed. Tonks noticed that Remus was breathing rather deeply. His eye flickered all over the room, making sure of their privacy. He stood rubbing his hands together, and Tonks noticed a deep scar run across the palm of him left hand.

"I was distant with you. I never really explained why I felt the need to do so. I've acted rudely, and without thought to your feelings, only to my own. That, according to Sirius, makes me a twat."

It was now Tonks turn to look about the room, searching for what to say to Remus. "That's ok. I … err…forgive you. So what about the fact that I quite fancy you?" Tonks voice shook slightly as she finished her sentence.

"Well, that's a big problem for me. I really fancy you too, and I have very big reservations as to if I am good choice for a boyfriend."

"Isn't that something for me decide." Tonks fought back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"It's my illness." Remus look into Tonks eyes, he smiled sadly. "Give me a bit of time."

Tonks nodded, not trusting her self to speak with out her voice failing her.

Not to much latter Tonks left the party, hardly stopping to say her goodbyes.

* * *

**A/N: **You know what will make me write faster? You got it, reviews. So you know what to do.


	14. Drop Offs and Pick Ups

**Drop Offs and Pick Ups.**

"So what do ya think? Is anything ever going to happen between me and him?"

Tonks owl, Gaston, stared blankly up at her, before going back to attacking his owl treats. "Why am I even asking you? You're an owl."

Tonks went over to her bed and pulled her old Hogwarts trunk out from underneath it. The conversation that she had with Remus the night before, played over and over inside her head. She hadn't slept well, giving up on sleep when the sun came up around five thirty. She rubbed her tired eyes and tried to remember the charm that soothed tired eyes. She couldn't.

She lifted the lid of the old trunk. It was full of clothes Tonks used for disguises. Tonks liked to think about it as her dress up box. She pulled out an old navy skirt, a white shirt that had an embroidered pattern that followed the buttons down the front, and a light gray cardigan. Scrounging round the rest of her small apartment, Tonks was able to find a pair of flat, lace up, black shoes, and a funny little purple hat.

She sat on the edge of her bed for a good ten minutes, her face scrunched up in concentration. She focused on changing her hair, then her legs, her torso, her arms, her eyes, mouth, jaw line, and nose. When she felt that everything had changed, Tonks jumped up and ran into the bathroom to check out her transformation. After all these years of being a Metamorphagus she was still stunned by her own powers. The person in the mirror that looked back at Tonks was an old lady that Tonks only knew from her shopping experiences at Marks and Spencer's.

Tonks grabbed up her most old lady-like bag and headed out the door to meet Harry and Molly and the comer of Grimmauld place.

* * *

When Remus woke, his muscles had been sore and tense. The full moon was just around the corner and his conversation with Tonks the night before had done nothing to help. To top it all off Molly's run in with the Bogart had shown the harsh reality of the war they were fighting. Death was now a part of the very near future, the idea that life was so fleeting took hold of him. Remus fought the urge to track down Tonks at that very moment and gather her up in his arms.

Reflecting on the previous night, Remus could see that his apologies and explanations had fixed nothing between Tonks and himself. Perhaps today, after they had seen Harry safely on to the train, they could go for ice-cream, or even a butterbeer. Perhaps he still had a chance to woo Tonks. Perhaps it wasn't up to him to save her from him.

Number 12 was teeming with action when Remus got there. The portrait of Mrs. Black was screaming, he went to close the curtains, but the sound of Ginny falling down the stairs, made him realize that it really wouldn't achieve much. He went to the foot of the stairs instead and helped stack the trunks neatly by the door.

* * *

"Did I tell you how sexy you look today?"

Tonks looked over at Remus. They were standing on platform 9 ¾, the Hogwarts train had just pulled away. An ocean of moist eyed parents surrounded them. Sirius plodded by them, still in his dog form. That small smile of Remus' that Tonks loved so much was spread across his face.

"Shut up." Tonks mumbled as she straightened her hat.

"So what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Remus had stepped closer to her.

"Nothing, I took the whole day off. Why?"

Remus shrugged in an unconvincingly careless way. "I just thought we could get some ice-cream."

Tonks turned to see Molly dragging the big, black, dog that was Sirius through the gateway. She smiled at the thought of how ticked off he would be. Arthur wasn't too far behind Molly, talking in hushed tones to Moody.

"Ice-cream sounds perfect, "Tonks said, "But do you mind if we pop by my place so I can get changed first?"

"Absolutely."

As they walked through Kings Cross station, heading for a safe apparition point, they chatted merrily about their experiences of heading off to Hogwarts on the train. Tonks spirit was the happiest it had been in weeks, just because Remus asked her for ice cream. Both of them avoided talking about what had been said between them the night before.

They both appeared out of nowhere at the end of a small alley way besides Tonks apartment building, and made their way to her apartment. She quickly grabbed some clothes off the floor and stepped into the bathroom. Remus sat on the chair that wasn't hidden under a mound of clothing and waited.

As he waited he looked around the room. There was an owl standing on the tap over the kitchen sink, fast asleep. Dishes were piled up in the sink, and the rubbish needing taking out. In amongst the clothing on the other chair was a bra that Remus tried to not notice. He was unsure that the carpet had ever been cleaned, and from where he sat he could tell the bed hadn't been made.

"Ah," Tonks opened the bathroom door, "I'm me again."

"Yes you are, pink hair and all." Remus stood up, "What color is it naturally, if you don't mind you asking?"

"Oh, you're pushing a line there." Tonks opened the door and they left the apartment.

"Please, only tell me if you feel you can trust me."

"It's a mousey brown. Shoulder length. Very boring. _Trust me."_

Taking full benefit of the lovely weather and the flow of friendly conversation, Remus and Tonks walked the whole length of Hyde Park. They wound their way through the streets of London's city centre, to Leisester Square. Tourist littered the square, watched by a giant poster of an action hero promoting his latest film.

It was past lunch time and neither of them had eaten since breakfast, so although Tonks still had an appetite for ice-cream, they headed to a pub for a more substantial meal. They both ordered burgers and a pint of lager, before taking a seat at the back of the pub. As they sat down, the conversation died and they sat looking at each other for what seemed like minuets.

Remus took a depth breath. "Nymphadora, I don't-"

"Tonks!" she interrupted, "But continue. Sorry."

"Nymphadora Tonks, I don't think I can restrain myself from falling for you anymore. I can't keep protecting you from me. I want you in my life and to keep pushing you away tears me apart."

Tonks sat for a while looking at him in mute shock. Remus breathed deeply, his eyes flicking around the room. Tonks looked across to see their food being brought over to them. She watched its progress, ordering her thoughts on what to say.

When their food was in front of them, Tonks said, "I want you in my life too. And if you could just let go of your need to protect me against you, then this could really work. I want it to."

Remus put a hand to Tonks face, he cupped her cheek. He looked deeply into Tonks eyes. "I assume this means that we are now an item?"

Tonks broke out in a huge grin, tears of joys welled up in her eyes. "Yes."

* * *

Remus stood in the doorway, his left side leaning against the door jam. His oldest friend sat stretched out on the couch, a set of darts bunched in his hand. As Remus watched, his friend pelted the darts at the wall, each of the darts flying into the painted head of yet another relative on the Black family tree. Sirius aggression dampened Remus's joy.

"He'll be back before you know it." Remus' voice made Sirius swivel his head around to the doorway. "And then when it's all over-"

"Over?! When can this be over? I've not known life without this war." Another dart was thrown, hitting Mrs. Black square between the eyes.

"We all have dark shadows that stay with us through out our life. We just have to live in hope. I really hope that one day the time will come when you and Harry really have time-"

"Harry! Have time! Don't you know what they want from him? Can't you see what Dumbledore doesn't tell us?" Another dart hit the wall, anger distorting his aim; it hit nothing but a painted tree branch.

Remus weighed his words. "There are things that are becoming more obvious about what Dumbledore will inevitably ask of Harry. But the final picture still has many missing pieces. We can do nothing yet but trust that Dumbledore would never willing put Harry in harms way."

Sirius snorted and shook his head. He waved his wand viciously to retrieve the darts from the wall. In his anger he sent them flying wildly around the room. One narrowly missed Remus.

Remus waved his own wand. The darts rose up into his open hand. He picked one up and threw it at the wall hitting Lucius Malfoy. Eger to change the subject, Remus spoke again. "Tonks and I are now an item."

Sirius sat right up. "Since when?"

"Since lunch today."

"So you've snogged her good and proper now?"

Remus dropped the dart he was about to throw. "That's not really something we need to talk about."

"So you did." Sirius let out a bark of laughter. "Fantastic!"

* * *

**A/N:**

Hey Guys, just wanted to thank you all for reading, it so lovely to know that people like me, or at least my writing. Sorry it was a short chapter. Thanks to my new Beta, you did a great job.

So guys you know what to do. … Review….hint hint.


	15. Roger and Snivellus

Chapter 15:

**Chapter 15:**

**Roger and Snivellus**

"Podmore? Arrested?" Tonks tried to keep her Voice down. In the far corner of the Auror office Tonks stood with Kingsley having a hushed conversation. Both of them would throw anxious glances around the room every few seconds.

"Yes. Keep it down." Kingsley whispered, "He was caught down there the night before last. That's why he never made it to the headquarters to escort Harry and the rest of them, yesterday."

"What's gonna happen to him?"

"Eric Munch found him, 'breaking into' a door down there. Podmore is a good man, he won't say anything, which sadly isn't going to help his defense. They could ask for anything between one month to two years depending on what motive they can come up with."

"Two Bludgering years!" Tonks said, far too loud.

"Shhh!" Kingsley looked around the room to see who could have heard them.

"So what's the Order doing?" Tonks asked, mouthing the word Order instead of saying it.

"Were going to have a meeting tonight for any of those able to get there. Seven o'clock." Kinsley started to move back to his desk, "I really don't know that there is anything we can do."

Tonks stood in the corner a little longer. She thought about how she was enjoying lunch with Remus as Podmore was being held in the horrid holding cells at the ministry. His wife would be beside herself with worry. She shuddered at the thought of him being locked up for two months, he had only become a father three months ago. Tonks wondered that if she were a parent, would she still be fighting. Her parents told her that was why they hadn't joined the Order in the first war against Voldemort. She didn't know if she would be able to stop fighting that easily.

Tonks made her way slowly back to her desk. She shuffled the rolls of parchment around on her desk, before giving up on trying to focus on work. She stood up and looked over the wall of her cubical. Steve was writing at full speed. "Whoa, what needs to be finished that fast?" Tonks asked.

Steve paused for a second to look up at Tonks. "I was meant to have this report written before I left last night. The boss came down yesterday and wanted progress reports from nearly everyone. I guess you missed out, what a lovely bonus to go with your slacker day off."

"I was sick." Just to prove her Tonks gave a small cough.

"Yeah and I'm the Minister of Magic."

"You'd probably do a better job."

Steve glanced over his now finished report. "Ya know, most people who hate the government, try not to work for them."

"Shut up."

"Ohh. How rude. Should I remind you, that you're the one who leaned over to bug _me_." said Steve.

"I lent over to- "

"Tonks stop flirting and come along." Boomed Haman.

"I wasn't flirting! Not with Steve."

"I don't care. Hurry up or you'll be back doing paper work."

Steve sat straining to hold back his laughter. "I think he wants you." He said with a sly smile.

Tonks gave him a dirty look, then hurtled out of the office after her boss. In her hurry she tripped twice before coming to a halt at the lifts next to Haman. "Sorry sir," she said.

* * *

Tonks crossed her arms against the cold. They were down Knockturn Alley, faces peered out of windows, eyes blazed from the shadows of hooded figures, a silence proceeded them. Tonks was unsure if it was the end of summer, the shadowy alley way, or just the presence of the place that made her feel so cold. What she did know was that she was grateful that Haman and Benson, another Auror working the case, were with her.

They came to a stop out side a small Apothecary shop. The shop was so small that a window opening up on to the Alley would have served the same purpose. The man behind the counter had hair that was soft and shiny, and flopped handsomely across his very unhandsome face.

" 'ello boys." he said, then looking at Tonks, "Oh, do forgive me. 'ello to ya sweet'art."

"Roger, isn't it?" said Haman.

"That's 'ight." Roger began picking food out of his month with his dirty finger nails. "Now what 'ave I done to be graced by you lot? Usually it's my old mate, the boys in blue."

"Perhaps that should impress the severity of the situation on you, Rodger," Benson said in his deep upper class voice.

"Oh, indeed it does." replied Roger.

"Lentrcul venom, do you sell that Roger?" Benson asked.

"That's a banned substance indn' it. I ain't going to be selling it."

"I didn't think that would've stopped you." said Haman.

"Oi, I resent 'at. I'm a changed man." Roger looked over at Tonks again. " 'ight there sweet'art?"

"Step off, I ain't your sweetheart," Tonks spat back.

"So Roger, no one approached you, and asked you to get some Lentrcul venom? You didn't get a team together and steal a few jars of the venom from St Mungo's? Or maybe you had an inside man smuggle some out. None of that happened?" Haman pressed.

"Nah. Sounds like ya got some dirty crooks to track down."

"Then you wont mind if we have a little look around your place here." Benson said politely.

"Now look, I've got no problems with you looking round and all, but I've 'ad me balls busted by you lot before. So there ain't any way you fellows and the little lady are getting past this doorway without a warrant."

"That's not very nice of you Roger." Said Benson.

"Well ya would've brought one, if ya could get one."

Changing the subject quickly Haman asked, "Seen your old playmate Severus lately?"

"Sev," Roger brushed his hair out of his face, "he drops by from time to time. He was 'ere two days ago. Good man, never forgets were he came from."

"Where do you mean where he came from? A working class family in Kent?" said Benson.

"That might well be where he spent his childhood years, but the summers off from Hogwarts he'd be out the back in the work shop, with me old man and me."

"Really, I thought he spent them at the Malfoy Manor?" Said Benson

Roger shrugged. "Like I said he's a good man. Never thought he was too good to visit us, and never thought he was to lower class to show up at the Malfoy's doorstep."

"And Severus hasn't been asking you to get him any banned substances when he's popped round?" asked Haman.

Roger shook his head and gave a low laugh. "No, he hasn't. Look I'll make this real easy for ya. Ya want to know 'bout the Lentrcul venom coz ya want to know 'bout the Blue Ring poison that's been floating round. I can tell you this much, whoever's making it, ain't getting the venom from me. Now I did get to seeing some the other day. Horrible murky mix. I'll tell you straight up, that ain't no work of Severus."

"Well Roger will keep that in mind." Haman patted Rogers arm. "I'm sure we'll be back soon."

The three Aurors made their way out of Knockturn Alley and out into the bright bustling pathway of Diagon Alley. Benson straightened his already perfectly straight collar. Tonks bumped into a shopper walking the other direction and sent their recently bought caldron rolling down the Alley way. She apologized repeatedly, then dashed off to catch up with her colleagues.

"Benson," shot Haman, "What did you think of the suspect?"

Benson rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Lies. The lot of it. He's covering for his 'pal' Snape. People like that don't reform."

"Tonks," Said Haman, "What about you?"

"Errr… Well sir, I do think he know something. Whether he's involved, I'm not convinced. But the stuff about Snape - the poison not being his- I believe him. Snape's a perfectionist when it comes to his potions, and the samples of the poison we have are hardly perfect."

"How do you like that boy?" Haman said to Benson, "Getting out done by a female rookie."

* * *

Remus sat in the Kitchen of number 12. Sirius sat next to him, glass of fire whisky clamped between his legs, as he styled his hair in the reflection of the pot on the stove. Order members trickled in taking seats around the room.

"She's a horrid woman. I really can't stand her."

"Oh I could think of worse names for her. How about the Ministries one pond whore. Or fu-"

"Thank-you Severus, I'll use my imagination as to other names you would use."

Snape and McGonagall sat down in the seats in front of Remus and Sirius. Snape continued to complain about the horrid woman.

"Who is this women giving you so much grief Snivellus? I really must congratulate her." Sirius asked taking a sip of his drink.

Snape didn't turn round but stopped talking.

McGonagall turned around. "Oh you wouldn't think her so nice if you meet her."

"Is this the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" asked Remus.

"Yes. A women from the Ministry called Umbridge." said McGonagall.

"Umbridge? She's horrible. She the DADA teacher? They're not gonna learn anything." Came Tonks voice.

"Hello you." said Remus smiling up at her.

"Wotcher," Tonks sat down next to Remus and smiled back at him.

"Oh Merlin," Snape turned around to look at the happy couple. "That's what I need to see to really make my day." Snape spat sarcastically.

"Piss off back to your mate Roger's then," said Tonks.

"Oh Roger and Snivellus, sitting in a tree, K - I -"

"SHUT UP, BLACK!"

"Oh. I hit a nerve there," laughed Sirius, "What happened? Did Roger turn you down?"

"No. I turned him down." Snape tuned back to face the front of the room. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Wait, Roger's gay?" asked Tonks.

"Yes. Anyone who cares about their hair that much is." Snape tuned to sneer at Sirius as he spoke.

"Oh, you're so right." Joked Sirius, "What do you say Severus? You, me, and candle lit- No. I can't even joke about it. You're that much of a turn off."

Snape turned around to hurl another insult at Sirius, but was cut off by the entrance of Dumbledore and the commencement of the meeting.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys, thank-you all for reading so far. It's so nice to have people reading my work. So hope to get you a new chapter soon….in the meantime you now what to do. (That means review.)


	16. Pints and Pashing

**Chapter 16**

**Pints and Pashing **

The heavy wooden table, had deep gouges covering it's surface. It wobbled if it was leaned on it at the wrong corner. Despite the fact that it looked over polished, it was still sticky. The crowd talked, laughed and clattered over a blur song playing on the stereo. Tables in booths lined windows that rounded the two sides of the pub. Other heavy wooden tables filled the void between the booths and the bar. It was at one of these tables that Tonks sat watching Remus order their drinks from the barman.

She watched as he made polite conversation, while the barmen pulled a pint of lager. She watched as he slipped the barmen a tip. She watched, with a smile, as he made his way back to their deeply dinted table. Putting the drinks down made the table wobble and lager spilled out on to the table, adding to its stickiness.

"Thank you," Tonks said as she took the pint from Remus. "I didn't know you keep muggle money on you?"

Remus pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped up the spilt beer. "Well I keep a little on me, just in case I want to steal you away for ice-cream or a pint."

"Well that's good to know." Tonks took a sip from her pint. "Tell me what the story between Snape and Sirius and you is?"

"What, besides them hating each other?" Remus through his arms up in surrender. "I don't know. I mean, I don't know if there is any real underlying fact." Remus thought for a bit, and then added, "They knew each other before Hogwarts. Severus was at a few of the parties that the Blacks went to; your mother was probably at them too. I guess Severus was everything that Sirius' family and friends wanted Sirius to be, and that pissed him off. It grew from there."

"So he was a sadist even back then?"

Remus laughed, "I don't think he was a sadist so to speak, at least not then. But he was very keen on knowing everything about the dark arts. I think the others and I probable are a bit to blame for turning him into a sadist."

"You know in his records, some suggest that Snape met You-Know-Who when he was just seven years old. When I read that, I thought, how easy would it be to see a bright seven year old and tell him to study Dark arts because that's what's going to help him in life?" Tonks took a large gulp from her pint.

"Merlin's beard. No wonder he was an oddball at school." Remus looked down into his pint, the frothy head was all but gone. When he was young he had never stopped to think about what Snape's life was like before, or even out of school. He wondered if he had known would he have done more to stop his friends from teasing him. He tried to push the guilt out of his mind.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. He still had choices like the rest of us." Tonks put her hand on top of Remus.

Remus turned his had around and took hold of Tonks. He smiled at her. "I guess Severus did have Roger."

The both laughed so loudly that the people at the table next to them looked over.

"That had to be the most interesting development I heard all meeting." Tonks looked over at Remus empty Pint glass. "Want another?"

"I better not I'm on duty in another hour." Remus reached across the table for Tonks other hand. "Let's get out of here."

They both stood up and pulled on their jackets. As they made their way out the front door Remus comfortably slipped his arm around Tonks waist. They walked happily down the road together.

When they were out of the glow of the light from the pub, Remus turned to Tonks, "Wait. I've got to do something."

Tonks turned towards him as h lent towards her. He pressed his lips against hers. She entwined her arms around Remus neck, while he slipped his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.

"Get a room!" a youth yelled as he walked past the couple. The broke apart and smiled contently at each other.

* * *

Over the next few weeks the weather got colder, but Remus and Tonks' budding romance kept them warm. In between guard duties, Order meetings, Tonks' work and keeping Sirius company, the pair went for ice-cream, walks through London, and pub meals as much as they could.

One night in late November as rain beat against the windows of Number 12, Remus, Sirius and Tonks sat around the kitchen table. Tonks had her case work spread out across the table, while Remus and Sirius sat creating elaborate, and If Tonks thought about it, probably illegal, ways to catch Death Eater red handed.

"So once you've lured the Death Eaters into the pub, by way of the prostitutes, you set up a loud discussion between two muggle borns about their parentage." Sirius plotted.

"But then what? The Death Eaters aren't going to do anything in a crowed pub when they are about to go out the back with these prostitutes." Remus pointed out.

"Well when the ladies tell them that the deals off, the two muggle born chaps leave the pub. Then you have a group of pissed off Death eaters leaving the pub at the same time at the muggle born chaps. Then you spring out at them as they start to attack the two chaps."

"That's a great plan Sirius. You should be an Auror," Remus said, sarcastically. He turned around to Tonks. "Shouldn't Sirius be an Auror, Nymphadora?"

"Don't call me that! And I think there may be a few things that stand in the way of Sirius becoming an Auror - none of them being his terrible action plans. However, I think you two had something with the plan that had the goblin in it," Tonks said.

"Oi," Sirius asked, "can I call you Nymph-?"

"NO!" yelled Tonks. "It's Tonks. Only people who have ever called me that other name are my mum and dad. Which reminds me."

Remus put a hand down onto Tonks thigh. "About what?"

"I'm going to stay at mum and dad's this weekend, and I wanted to know if you wanted to come along?"

Remus' hand turned into a dead weight on Tonks thigh. "I might have guard duty. I'll check that first."

Tonks shrugged her shoulders and picked up her quill. "Okay, you don't want to come. That's fine."

"Oh, bad Moony." Sirius mocked.

"Shut up Sirius. Tonks, it's fine. I'd love to come and meet your parents."

"Well you don't sound fine." snapped Tonks, "It's a big step meeting my mum and dad. I know. Next time."

"No. I'm fine," Remus said lightly, "Just scared. But I'll come."

"Oh, now he's sweet Moony." Sirius mocked again.

"Shut up Sirius." Tonks threw a ball of scrap parchment at Sirius. "You don't have to worry, I'm sure they'll love you, as much I do."

Remus heart skipped a beat. His mouth dried up. Tonks had just said that she loved him for the first time. His mind buzzed with the sounds of the words. He knew he had to say something back, but he couldn't clear his mind of the words. Somewhere he could hear Sirius making a mocking comment that he couldn't work out, nor did he care about it.

Tonks kept her eyes locked on Remus'. Her hand clasped her quill tightly, trying not to shake. Her words had flown so naturally; words that she knew where true.

Finally, as his mid cleared, Remus said, "I love you too."

"Oh, aren't you two sweet." Molly Weasley's voice cut through the haze that had enveloped Tonks and Remus. "And how are you Sirius dear?"

"Rather happy to see you. I was feeling nauseous from these twos company," replied Sirius.

"I am simply getting you back for all the times I had to sit in the common room with you making out with whatever girlfriend you had at the time next to me," excused Remus. "Hello Molly. Did you just get here?"

"Yes dears," she said. "I don't blame you two for not noticing you were quite lost with each other, I've just come to meet Arthur after his guard duty. Ooh, your little romance is blossoming so wonderfully, it warms the heart."

"And he's going to meet Tonks parents this weekend," Sirius said.

"Oh, now that is news." Molly beamed at the couple.

"Yes, but Remus is rather worried about it all." Sirius added.

"Thank-you Sirius," said Remus, "I think it's time for you to shut up again."

Tonks began to gather up her paperwork. "I think it's about time I was leaving anyway."

"I'll walk you out." Remus said whisking up the last of her paperwork for her.

"Bye Molly. Bye Sirius."

"Goodbye dear."

Sirius crossed his arms. "Sorry I've shut up, can't say goodbye."

Remus suppressed a smile and Tonks rolled her eyes as they left the Kitchen and made their way down the dark hallway. Remus grabbed hold of Tonks waist and safely guided her away from the troll foot umbrella stand. Tonks giggled.

"I meant what I said, I love you," Remus said softly, so as to not disturb the paintings.

"I did too. I've never loved someone the way I love you. It's scary."

"Yes very scary."

"Then we agree being in love is as scary as all hell."

Remus nodded in agreement before leaning into to kiss Tonks tenderly on the lips. As their kiss turned more passionate, the front door opened beside them.

Arthur Weasley cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"Wotcher Arthur" Muttered Tonks.

"Yes. Hello. Tonks. Remus."

"Hello. Molly is waiting in the kitchen for you." Remus said.

"Oh, good. I'll go and join her. You two … err… carry on." It was hard to tell what happened fastest, Arthur rushing to the kitchen door, or Tonks and Remus faces turning a violent shade of red.

"I'll get going then." Tonks said when they were alone again.

"Bye."

There was one last Kiss before Tonks stepped outside and apparated to the alleyway next to her apartment block. A huge grin was plastered on her face.

* * *

**A/N:** Hey guys hope you liked the chapter. Let me know by leaving a review.


	17. Confessions of a Poison Pusher

**A/N: **Hello all. Here is my latest Chapter, I hope you enjoy it. The next chapter shouldn't be too far off, as I've had a few weeks off. well enjoy.

**Chapter 17:**

**Confessions of a Poison Pusher.**

Tonks looked at the sullen teenaged girl that sat across from her. The girl was a cliché teenage rebel, from her black hooded cloak a size too big, to her dark hair that fell into her eyes. The girl sat looking at the edge of the table that stood between Tonks and herself, chewing her bottom lip.

It was late Thursday night, and in order to have the weekend off to visit her parents, Tonks had been on call the last few nights. Tonight she had been summoned into the office; the reason was the disgruntled teenager that sat in front of her. The girl had been picked up selling mushroom juice, a rather harmless illegal potion, only to be found with ten vials of Blue Ring poison.

"So do you want to tell me your name, or are we going to have wait till our desk clerk finds out for me?" Tonks tried to say authoritatively.

"Yeah, whatever. Like I'm gonna tell the fuzz what my name is," The teenager spat.

"Well, maybe you'd like to tell me what you where doing with ten vials of Blue Ring?" Tonks tried.

"Those pillock's that picked me up, they must've planted it on me, or something."

"You're in a lot of trouble here. Just selling Blue Ring will get you a long stint in Azkaban. Now do you want to tell me your name?"

"Piss off."

Tonks stood, "Right. I think I'll send you to the lock up for the night, and I'll go home to bed."

"What do you mean lock up?" For the first time a tiny bit of fear crept into the young girl's voice.

"It's downstairs, so it is a bit cold. There is one toilet - in the middle of the room. You might not get much sleep, but I will. Then tomorrow my boss will come in and have a chat with, and he'll be in a bad mood, because - well he's always in a bad mood."

The girl didn't answer back, but sank down into her chair, deep in thought. Tonks was saved from trying to work out what to say next, by a light knock on the door. She opened up the door to find the desk clerk holding a file.

"Didn't take much," said the desk clerk. "That cute little rose on her wrist isn't very common."

Tonks took the file and shut the door. She moved back to her seat and made a show of reading the small file. There wasn't much to it. A few public destruction charges and a prior for selling mushroom juice.

"Miss Emilia Whiltshed - Hennery, you've been caught selling illegal potions before. Now are you sure there is nothing you want to tell me before I pass this all on to my boss in the morning?"

"Look, the Mush juice was mine, but that other stuff - I was just holding it for someone."

Tonks put her elbows down on the table. "Emilia, I'm going to need a name if I'm even to think about looking into that."

"Look I don't know the guys name. So, like, whatever. Don't believe me, but that's what happened."

"How about what he looks like? We could get a sketch."

"Well, he 'ad 'is hood up didn't he?"

"Of course he did. What about his voice? What did that sound like?"

"I don't know. Like every other London geezer."

"Right, all that- doesn't help you at all."

"Yeah, whatever."

"Give me a name, that's all I need," Tonks tried again.

Emilia shrugged and avoided making eye contact with Tonks.

Tonks changed tact. "Can I tell you what I think? I think that you were holding it for someone. I think you know who it was. I think that it was a friend or a boyfriend even. Nothing in your file makes me think that you would make such a big leap from selling Mush juice to a Class A poison. I bet you didn't even really didn't even know what you where holding. But you got caught and now you're covering for a friend. It's sad. You're going to end up taking the rap for something you didn't do.

"Em, whoever you're protecting here, they aren't worth it. Were talking Azkaban, this isn't small. Your friend, whoever they are, is making a really horrible poison used for torture."

Tonks let her words hang in the air, and watched as slowly the words were absorbed by the girl.

"He told me it was a party potion. Something new."

"Who?"

"Malcolm Darcy." the girl looked straight at Tonks when she said the name. "He's a friend of my boyfriend."

"You've done the right thing here Em." Tonks stood up.

"Can I go now?"

Tonks opened the door and called out for the desk clerk. "We'll have to hand you over to law enforcement, they'll give you a formal warning for selling the Mushroom juice. Then you'll be free to go, but I may still be in touch."

"Yeah, whatever."

* * *

"What am I doing?"

Sirius looked up from the crude sketch he was carving into the table. "You're sitting at the headquarters of a secret society with an outlaw, moaning about the impeding doom of meeting your girlfriend's parents."

"My life just gets odder by the day." Remus rubbed the back of his neck. "It's just that I can hardly get my head around… she's my girlfriend. I'm in a relationship. That's already hard enough for me to take. Add in meeting her parents, who aren't that much older then me, and it's too much for me to get my head around."

"Shut up Remus! You have a stunning girlfriend, who is so over the moon about you that she wants you to meet her mum and dad. Go with the flow here, mate." Sirius went back to attacking the table with a knife.

Remus ran his hands through his hair. "You're right. Now if I could just relax enough to go with the flow."

* * *

Tonks was late to the office the next morning by ten minutes. It had been late when she got home, and she then had to pack her bag for the weekend trip to her parents. In her haste she gave Remus only the most fleeting of thoughts, she knew that he was still ill at ease about the trip, but what could she do about that.

As the lift doors opened on the Auror offices floor, Tonks came face to face with Haman and Benson. "Tonks, early I see," Haman jibbed. "We were about to go out and follow up your lead. Got time to join us?"

Benson gave her a smug sneer. Tonks steeped back into the lift, followed by the two men.

Soon they were walking down a quite street in south west suburbs of London. Malcolm Darcy lived here with his mum and dad and two younger sisters. He had finished at Hogwarts the year before and now worked part time at Quality Quidditch store on Diagon Ally. The boy had a small record of mostly reckless behavior.

The three Aurors pushed the small gate open and walked up the narrow path to the front door of a semi-detached two storey house. Benson knocked. They didn't have to wait long before a middle aged woman with long brown hair answered the door in jeans, slippers and a Falmouth Falcons tee-shirt.

"Hello." The woman looked at the three strangers with cold scrutiny.

"I'm Auror Haman, and these are my collages Benson, and Tonks. We'd like a word with a Mister Malcolm Darcy."

The woman swore. "What's that little toad Lysander Nichols been getting him into now?" The woman swore again. "I'll go get him for you. Come on through to the kitchen."

Tonks and the two men walked through to the kitchen. Tonks and Haman sat down at the table, while Benson chose to lean against the counter. Muffled voice could be heard above then. There was a loud slam of a door shutting, before the womsn appeared downstairs again.

"Lazy bugger's still in bed. He'll be down soon. Can I get you lads… err and lady a drink of anything?"

They all declined. A tall teenager trudged sleepily into the kitchen. All he had on where a pair of boxer shorts and a hastily thrown on checked shirt. His shoulder length hair was swooshed on one side.

"Bloody hell Mal, could have put some clothes on!" Mrs. Darcy scolded her son.

Malcolm crossed his arms. "Hell, if I'd know that the Aurors where coming I would have had the dress robes cleaned."

"Oh come Mal, you can't have thought that we wouldn't be around?" Benson asked.

"Look I've had my last warning form, I've been behaving myself."

"So boy, you can't think of any reason why we'd be here?" Haman questioned.

The boy tightened his crossed arms. "No."

Benson took a step closer to the teen. "Really? Nothing you'd like to tell us?"

"No, Nothing - wait this isn't about last Friday night down at the pub?" Malcolm looked around at the three Aurors. "Look all me and San did was float a few pints of a table. You can't tell me that's muggle baiting. It wasn't even me that was casting the charms."

Tonks and Haman exchanged a glance. "That's not why we're here," Tonks said. "Last night I had a chat with a friend of yours, Emilia."

Malcolm looked stunned. "Emilia? That's San's girlfriend. I"ve only meet her a few times."

"And you gave her something to hold for you?" Tonks pushed.

"What? - wait. What am I meant to have given her? Look I don't go in for any of that." Malcolm shook his head.

"Come on son. It's best if you just fess up now," Benson growled.

"Look I told you, I don't do that rubbish." Malcolm threw his hands up in surrender. "Personally I think Em's a bit of a scrubber. San could do better than her, he's a bright guy. He got really good N.E.W.T.'s."

Tonks rubbed the back of her neck. Emilia's story was starting to fall apart. It was becoming more apparent that Malcolm was just a scapegoat. Tonks looked at Haman she could tell that he was thinking the Sane thing.

Tonks worked fast to redeem herself. "If Emilia's story's rubbish, then who was she holding for?"

Malcolm slouched against the wall, "Don't know. Maybe some dead beat friend."

"What about that boyfriend of hers, your mate Lysander? She'd want to protect him, Wouldn't she?" Haman asked.

"Well, it's her boyfriend, yeah. But San's a mate."

Tonks tried a different angle. "You said that San was a good student at school, what subjects was he particularly good at?"

Malcolm bit his lip in thought. "Errr… Herbology. D.A.D.A, and Potions. But he never got the marks he deserved in potions because Snape was a prat."

Tonks smiled at the teen. "Yeah he was. Why didn't Snape like his potion making skills?"

Malcolm shrugged. "Something about San's potions lacking respect and timing. San was always finished way before anyone else, even if his potions where a bit murky."

"Lysander Nichols was it?" Benson asked. Malcolm nodded. "And where would we find him?"

Malcolm shrugged again. "The Spell and Sphinx, down Knockturn Alley is where I'd look."

* * *

Five minuets later Tonks was heading down Knockturn Alley, Benson in tow. They were off to find Lysander Nichols, while Haman went to track down Emilia. Tonks glanced briefly at her watch, wondering if she would be late to meet Remus before they headed off to her parents. She wasn't yet, but she had an awful feeling she would be.

**A/N:** well you all know what to do now... go and tell me what you think??


	18. Irritations

**Chapter 18:**

**Irritations**

The problem with looking for someone at the Spell and Sphinxes was that everyone who drank there looked the same. It was as if they where all going for the same typecast character in a play. They lurked around the pub with their hunched shoulders, shady eyes and dark hooded robes. Each one looked wearier than the next.

Tonks and Benson joined them. They pulled their own hooded robes down over their eyes. They each bought a pint of ale that looked and tasted as if the glass had the remains of an ash tray in it. Both of them searched the room for Lysander Nichols.

Tonks looked at her watch, they had been waiting some time now, and it was close to three. She had told Remus that she would meet him at five. If she was to get back to her flat and pack her overnight bag, she was going to be pushing her luck.

Just as Tonks was about to suggest that they call it a day, a young man walked confidently into the pub. His muggle jeans were lose and baggy, his black traveling cloak was much the same. His light brown hair was slicked back so much that Tonks wondered if it wasn't painted on. "San, boy-o. 'Ow are ya?" the barmen called across to the cocky teen.

"So, so." Lysander replied. "Tell me, you haven't seen Emilia around today have you?"

The barmen shook his head and passed him a pint of the same murky ale that Tonks and Benson were sipping.

"Damn. The slut has gone and run off with some of my merchandise. If you see her, try and work out where she's staying. I'll make it worth your while."

Across from Tonks, Benson had drained his pint glass. "I'm going to get another." and then in a whisper Tonks could only just hear, "And I'll see if I can't get a bit more out of that git."

Benson wandered over to the bar. He stood only a few feet from Lysander. "Same again, barman," said Benson. For a moment Benson only looked at the teen next to him, then with a full pint in his hand he lent over. "You look like a well informed young man."

Lysander ran a hand down his slicked back hair. "Depends what you want to know about?"

"Well, my girl and I, we came down this end of town hoping to buy something that would make our weekend a bit more exciting."

Lysander gave Benson a good look over. "Just what type of a good time where you looking for?"

Benson moved closer to Lysander, but before he could say anything the door of the pub banged open.

Three men strolled into the pub as if it was their own home. Tonks' jaw dropped, she knew all three of them. One, the largest of the three, stood back from the other two, his name was Crabbe and Tonks had seen him only in passing. Same with the skinnier of the remaining two, his name was Nott. The last man, Tonks knew very well, even if she had only ever shared a few words with him. He was Tonks uncle Lucius Malfoy.

Tonks struggled to not let her hatred for Malfoy overwhelm her. She fought back the urge to run at him screaming, or to throw her pint glass right at his smug face. Malfoy on the other hand was looking at the two men at the bar, Benson and Lysander.

"Lysander, I didn't know that you where at all acquainted with our friend Benson here?" Malfoy said, as he strolled over to the two men.

Benson kept cool but Tonks knew that, just like her, he would be swearing under his breath.

Lysander took a measured sip from his pint. "We only met just now."

"Ah, I see." Malfoy said concernedly, "Benson here, if I remember, is in the Auror office. Did you know that Lysander?"

Lysander stiffened. "No I didn't. In fact he didn't even introduce me to his girlfriend." Lysander gestured towards Tonks.

At that moment Tonks tried very hard to morph, but nothing happened, she was too startled. Besides it would have been a moment to late, Malfoy had already recognized her.

"Nymphadora? Is that you?" Malfoy called out across the pub, whose patrons couldn't have cared less about the scene unfolding in the middle of it. "Dating married men now, are you?"

Tonks noticed Benson instinctively cover his wedding band. "Yes I am Uncle. Have to do my bit at keeping the Black name nice and muddied up."

Malfoy turned back to the two men at the bar with a stony look. "Mr. Benson, you must excuse Lysander and me. He's doing some potion research for me and I need to talk to him about it."

There was nothing else for it. Benson and Tonks left the pub with nothing, but the bitter taste of giving Lysander Nichols a heads up that they were after him.

Outside the pub Benson kicked a bin. "It was stupid of you to say that to Malfoy."

Tonks looked sharply at Benson. "The man's a prize git."

"He's a very important man. Not to mention the friends he has at the Ministry."

"I don't care. He's a f-"

"I do care. Comments like that will get back to our superiors, and not only will they reflect badly on you, but also on me." With that, Benson stormed off down the alleyway.

Tonks apparated before she gave herself time to think about his comments.

* * *

Remus had been sitting on the step at the front of Tonks apartment block for an hour. The sun was setting now and he strained to read his book by the fading light. Eventually he gave up on reading and slipped his book back into his suitcase.

Without the distraction of his book, Remus wondered about the lateness of Tonks. She had told him that they would meet after she finished work. Perhaps, he thought, she had decided against taking him with her. But then surely she would have told him.

A loud crack came from the alleyway next to where Remus was sitting, Followed by the arrival of an annoyed looking Tonks. She stormed around the corner stopping a few feet in front of Remus.

"Is anything the matter?" Remus asked.

Tonks walked on towards the door. "No everything is fine. Benson is just a knob."

Remus picked up his case and followed Tonks into the apartment block. "Benson? That you work with? Is he why you're late?"

Tonks spun around on the stairs, and then had to grab hold of the railing, as she very nearly went tumbling down. "I'm sorry. Were you waiting long? I should have sent you a message. We had a lead. Sorry."

"It was fine. I got a bit of reading done. What did Benson do to upset you?"

Tonks continued up the stairs to her apartment. "He told me off."

"About what?"

Tonks stood, bag in hand collecting her thoughts. "While following our leads we bumped into Malfoy. I made a smart mouthed comment to him. That's all. And then Benson tells me off. What right does he have to tell me what to do?"

"Well you do work for the Ministry, and Malfoy does carry a lot of weight there. I'm sure Benson was only thinking of what would be the best for you." Remus instantly regretted what he said. Tonks was looking at him in absolute annoyance.

She pushed past him and huffed off down the stairs. She miss stepped about half way down and fell down the second half of the stairs. Remus ran down to help her up, but she pulled away from his grasp.

"I'm sorry." Remus said unhelpfully.

"Just shut up, while I calm down." Tonks snapped at him before storming out the front door and disappearing down the side alleyway.

Remus caught up with her in time for Tonks to mutter her parents address to him before disapperating. Nervously Remus followed.

* * *

Tonks only had to wait a few seconds before Remus appeared next to her, but the few moments alone in the sharp coolness of the night, were enough to calm her down just a bit. When Remus did appear, she turned to apologize at the same time that he did.

"I'm not pissed at you, just Benson," Tonks explained. With that they walked down the small pebbled driveway of the Tonks house.

The House was a one storey cottage. Tall trees grew around the property edge, and Remus supposed that the land after the back fence was some kind of woods, or nature reserve. There was a wet smell in the air and as they neared the house Remus could make out a large pond that made up most of the garden. The house itself was half covered in ivy and had an old thatched roof.

Tonks knocked at the door. Before waiting for someone to answer, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. Remus followed. He could tell Tonks was still annoyed at him, even after her apology.

"Dora, Is that you?" A man with thinning light brown hair and a large belly came bumbling into the hallway. Remus could see the resemblance to Tonks in his broad smile. A thin woman, who was undeniably a Black, swept gracefully into the hallway behind the man.

"Nymphadora!" Tonks' mother walked toward her daughter with her arms open.

The two women hugged, next Tonks stepped forward and gave her father a kiss on the cheek. Remus noticed that Andromeda, apart from a fleeting glance, would not look at him. Ted on the other hand was now smiling at him, waiting for Tonks to introduce them.

"Mum, Dad. This is my boyfriend Remus Lupin. Remus, Andromeda and Theodore-"

"Please! It's Ted." Tonks father interrupted. He stretched out his hand towards Remus. He shook it happily.

Remus turned to extend his hand to Andromeda. The look of disgust that was on her face could not have been topped even by her sisters. She took a deep breath and her eyes flashed back to Tonks.

"Remus Lupin is your new boyfriend!" Exclaimed Andromeda. "And I use the term _boy_friend loosely."

"Mum, don't be like that." Tonks pleaded.

"How am I meant to be?" Andromeda turned to look Remus in the eye. "I'm sure you're a very nice man. But you can't be many years younger then me. And if I'm not misinformed you're a werewolf. Those things alone would not recommend you as a good _boyfriend_ for my Dora. But then on top of that you were once friends with Sirius Black." Andromeda turned back to Tonks. "You really can't tell me you're happy with all that?"

"Dromeda I think-" Ted tried to cool down the situation.

"Ted, let the girl answer."

Tonks pink hair was slowly turning a shade of red. "Piss off Mum. I knew you'd be like this!" She turned sharply on her heels, and yanked the door open. Turning to Remus who had taken a step towards her, "And don't you follow me! I know whose side you're going to take. Again."

The door slammed and Tonks was gone, leaving Remus with her parents. Andromeda turned on her heels the same way that Tonks had and disappeared into another room in the house.

"Well Remus, I'd say you and I could do with a large glass of fire whisky" Ted Tonks offered as he led Remus into the sitting room.

**A/N: Hey guys just want to say again how great it is to have people who like reading my story. Thanks. well you know what to do...review!**


	19. A Safe Place

Chapter 19:

A Safe Place

The room was warm. The fire in the hearth was small, but it did the job. The latest Quidditch match was playing on a radio. The lounge set that was arranged in a crescent around the fireplace looked over plumped, and Remus doubted if, once you sat in them, you would ever be able to pull yourself free. Ted stood at a side table pouring two measured glasses of fire whiskey.

"Sit down." Ted waved over the squishy looking chairs.

Remus sat down on the edge of the couch. Ted came over with their drinks and sat in the arm chair next to Remus; amazingly the chair did not engulf him.

"Don't worry, Dora will calm down, and Dromeda… well, err, she'll come around," Ted said with a smile. "They're just as stubborn as each other, that's the problem."

"Yes, Nymphadora is quite determined," Remus agreed.

"That's my Dora, determined." Ted let out a booming laugh. "Tell me about yourself Remus."

"Well, at the moment I spend a lot of time fixing up small place in Yorkshire. "

"Really! Do you have a dry stone wall?"

"No. Not yet. I've just re-sealed all the windows." Remus replied, happily surprised that Ted seemed so excited to hear about his renovations.

* * *

Tonks let the cool night air nip at her face. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing. Her warm tears stung as they rolled down her cold face. How could she have expected anything else from her mother? Fear of this reaction had stopped her mentioning who her new boyfriend was.

A fallen tree lay beside the road. Tonks sat down on it and wiped the tears away. After such a bad day at work, her fears about her mother's disapproval were now realized. "_How do I fix this?__"_ Tonks thought to her self.

The first step, she realized, was to get back to Remus.

It was while Ted and Remus were talking about how he would re-plumb the bathroom that Tonks tripped noisily into the room. She stole the glass from Remus' hand and crumpled up next to him on the couch.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to leave you here like that," Tonks whispered to Remus.

Remus smiled down at Tonks. "It's alright. You've had a tough day. And I believe it's my job to say what you want to hear. Which is, Benson's a jerk? You have every right to say whatever you want to Malfoy. And you and I have the only important opinions in this relationship, not your mother. Have I forgotten to tell you something that you want to hear?"

"No." Tonks put the fire whisky glass down on the table and threw her arms around Remus. "You're amazing."

Ted laughed his loud laugh, a not so subtle reminder that he was right there. "I'll just go and see whether Dromeda has calmed down."

Tonks and Remus were only alone for a moment before Ted returned to usher them into the dinning room. The round table sat in a nook that the Bay window created. A large roast dinner was set out on the table and Andromeda stood opening a bottle of wine. They all took a seat and Ted took the bottle from his wife and filled everyone's glasses.

"This looks great Mum," Tonks said breaking the ice.

"Well the situation called for something nice, don't you think?" Mrs. Tonks asked.

"Yeah. Thanks Mum."

Peace was made between the two Tonks women, and dinner ran smoothly. Afterwards, Tonks showed Remus around the cottage-style house. They came, in the end to Tonks' old bedroom. The cupboard doors were covered in old band posters. The single bed was neatly made up with a multi coloured quilt. The battered desk had dozens of ink stains.

Remus watched as Tonks ran her hand over the desk, picked up an old teddy bear, and fiddled with the pink curtains. A small smile played at her lips and he tried to imagine the fond memories she had in this room. He had so many questions, but was unwilling to break her reverie. Stretching out, he ran his hand down her arm.

Felling his touch, Tonks turned, and gave him a full smile. "I always feel safe in this room," She explained, "As if nothing could ever hurt me here. Nothing can get to me. Silly isn't it?"

Remus took her hand in both of his. "No, it's not. One day I'll have to take you to my safe place."

"You have a safe place?"

"Of sorts." He sat down on the bed. She followed. "It's nothing like yours. I like yours. It's just like you."

Curling up next to Remus, Tonks rested her head on his chest. "Like me?"

Remus put an arm round her and began to stroke her hair. "Yes, colourful, sweet, cosy, with a little bit of rock music. It even has the same smell as you."

Tonks laughed softly. "Of course it does. It's my room. Who else would it smell of?"

"Good point." He kissed her forehead. "Well then, I like the way that you and your room smell. It's lovely."

Tonks curled her arms around Remus. "I don't know how I would breathe without you." She looked pleading up at him. "Don't ever leave me, Remus."

He stroked her cheek and smiled his sad little smile that she loved so much. Tonks rested her head back down onto his chest and closed her eyes.

It didn't take long for Tonks to drift off to sleep. She had never felt so safe wrapped in the arms of her lover in the bedroom of her childhood. Remus carefully laid her down and pulled the colourful blanket over her. He slipped from the room, pausing by the door just long enough to glance back at her peaceful face.

The house was now quiet, the radio had been turned off a while ago, the only sounds to be heard where the click of dishes being washed. Wanting to avoid a confrontation with Mrs. Tonks, Remus steered clear of the kitchen and headed into the sitting room.

He was surprised then when he found Andromeda sitting in a chair near the fireplace watching the last of the flames die away. He hesitantly stepped closer to her. In the fire glow he was taken back by how much she resembled her sister. The Blacks certainly were beautiful and yet there was a forbidding aloofness there as well.

She glanced back at him. "I'm sorry for earlier, when you arrived. I spoke too passionately. I was out of line."

Remus sank down into one of the impossibly plump armchairs. "I have to admit that I don't disagree with your concerns."

Andromeda continued to gaze into the dying fire. "And yet my Dora has fallen so very much in love with you."

"Yes. She has." Remus answered disheartened.

"And what will happen when you leave her?"

"Who said anything about leaving her?"

Andromeda turned sharply to Remus. "You don't plan on leaving her? How long can you lie to yourself and say that this will have a happy ending? Believe me it wont have one."

Remus felt cold despite the cosy surroundings. "She'll tire of me. She'll realise what I really am. Don't worry Andromeda," Remus spat back bitterly.

"Will she?"

"She has too," Remus answered, his voice devoid of any emotion.

He pulled himself out of the arm chair and slumped off down the hallway. He paused at Tonks room and pushed the door open just wide enough to see her sleeping face. His heart constricted with pain at the thought of leaving her. The thought of staying hurt just as much.

A/N: hey guys...i know this chapter is sort of fluffy... but i thought it was time to show a bit of love between our two mains. let me know what you think.


	20. A Lead Change

**A Lead Change**

Two weeks after Tonks's failed undercover job, the team was no closer to catching up with Lysander Nichols. Nichols now knew that they were on to him and had done what any guilty criminal would do, disappear. The case had gone stale and Tonks was stuck, once again, behind her desk doing paperwork.

"Tonks!" Bensons called bitterly across the office, "Haman wants a word." Benson still had not forgiven Tonks for messing up the undercover job, and Tonks now wondered if he ever would. Sullenly she followed Benson into Haman's office.

The office was only just big enough for the three of them. Just big enough to set Haman apart from those who worked in cubicles in the open planned office. Benson sat down in the only spare chair, leaving Tonks to lean against the wall. "I want to move our investigation in another direction." Haman announced.

"What about Nichols?" Tonks asked.

"We'll still be keeping tabs on all his movements, I just think we should be looking into other suspects."

"You mean like Severus Snape, sir?" Benson moved forward on his chair in anticipation.

Haman moved forward, matching Benson's excitement. "Yes. We'll go up to Hogwarts now and bring him in for questioning."

"Can I ask what has brought this on now? I mean why not yesterday, or the day before?" Tonks asked trying to hide her alarm.

"Well now that Dolores Umbridge is Hogwarts High Inquisitor, she's overridden Dumbledore's request to leave Snape alone. So, Tonks, we move in now."

"That's good," Tonks lied.

* * *

Tonks had not set foot on Hogwarts grounds since graduating, but it hadn't changed. The school still stood majestically between the high Scottish mountain ranges. Tonks pulled her travelling cloak tightly around her. It sure felt colder then London this far north.

She followed Haman and Benson silently through the large oak doors. Instantly Tonks heard the rumble of voices coming from the Great Hall, "Lunch time", she thought. A short squat women, who Tonks recognized from the Ministry, stood in the Entrance Hall waiting for them.

"Minster Umbridge, It's a pleasure to see you again," Boomed Haman.

"Auror Haman, it is my pleasure to help you with such a hideous case," Umbridge almost whispered back.

"This is my team, Auror Benson, and Junior Auror Tonks," Haman introduced.

"Yes." Umbridge gave a small nod to Benson and Tonks. "I will take you down to Snape's office."

As they set off across the Entrance Hall two first years raced out of Umbridge's way, and into the Great Hall. The four of them made their way down to the dungeons, weaving their way through the labyrinth of hallways till they arrived at a heavy wooden door. Umbridge knocked, but opened the door before waiting for a reply.

The fire place was empty, Tonks felt a chill run up her spine, she was sure that it was colder down here than it had been outside. Severus Snape sat behind his desk, rolls of parchment sat in neat piles in front of him, he briefly glanced up at Haman.

Snape pushed back his chair and held his hands in clear sight, "What can I help you with Auror Haman?" he asked dully.

"Snape," Spat Haman. He walked round the desk so that he stood right in front of Snape. Haman reached down to Snape's waist and pulled Snape's wand out from its small pocket in his cloak. Then Haman knelt down and removed a knife that Snape had concealed on his ankle. "Anything else I should know about now?" Haman demanded.

Snape didn't answer, but instead placed his wrists together behind his back. Haman tapped them with his wand. Restraints sprang from the tip of his wand and tightened around the potion professor's wrists.

* * *

Leaving the school had been easy, most of the students were at lunch and the Entrance hall had been empty. Walking through the Ministry proved to be harder. Although the Atrium had been deserted, the Juror's office had been a buzz of people. The older Aurors called out malicious comments, while the younger Aurors watched as their former potions professor was marched through the office into the questioning room.

Now Snape sat with his wrist chained to the table. Haman and Benson sat across the table from their suspect, while Tonks sat on a chair off to the side.

"How do you want to do this Severus?" Haman asked.

"It does not matter how I want to do this," Snape said coolly.

"So you are going to talk to us?"

"Talking is not what you have mind, so no."

"What is it if not talking?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "I believe you would call it informal questioning. I would have a few other names for it."

"You're right, I will be calling this informal questioning." Haman stood up and began pacing the room. "What part are you playing in this Blue Ring circuit that's sprung up?"

"Blue Ring? I read about that in the Prophet. But I don't have any part-" Haman smacked Snape's head down on the table with an unpleasant crunching sound.

Slowly Snape pulled his head up straight, a stream of blood was running from his nose.

"Sure you don't want to change that answer?" asked Benson.

"I don't have anything to do with it," Snape said almost conversationally.

This time Haman swung a left hook into Snape's face. Somehow he stayed upright in his chair. Tonks screwed up her hand into a fist and bit into it.

"What about now?" asked Benson.

Snape spat out a mouth full of blood and spit. "No, that's all I have to give as a statement."

Another left hook, this one did send Snape crashing to the floor. His wrists were still awkwardly chained to the table.

The onslaught lasted for an hour. Snape said nothing more. Tonks breathed deeply and concentrated on not crying out.

"Tonks, clean him up and send him on his way." Haman tossed a clean handkerchief at Tonks. "And don't think this is the last you've seen of us Severus. We'll be watching you."

Benson followed Haman out of the room. As soon as the door closed Tonks let out a sob. She grabbed the handkerchief along with the water jug and raced over to the table. She tapped the chains that held Snape's wrists in place. Instantly he reached up to hold his face.

"It's just my nose that they broke," mumbled Snape.

But Tonks wasn't listening – she was too busy trying to hold back the sobs she could no longer suppress. She couldn't get out of her mind the image of her superior beating up a restrained man. Her belief in a moral justice system was shattered.

Snape reached out and took hold of Tonks' wrist. "Miss Tonks, pull yourself together, fix my nose, then send me on my way. Go home tonight to that werewolf of yours, tell him all about today, and then come to work tomorrow as if nothing happened."

Tonks looked into the cold dark eyes of a man she hardly knew, "How?"

"Just think about what, who, you can protect by working in the position you have at the ministry. Now, my nose."

Tonks took a deep breath and put her wand to Snape's nose.

* * *

When Tonks walked into Remus' shack, he was sitting massaging his shoulder. His transformation the night before had been tough. He had woken up with a nasty cut on his shoulder; it was still weeping. Remus was glad to see Tonks; perhaps she could fix his shoulder.

"Hello, Dora." Remus welcomed Tonks, "Do you mind having a look at my shoulder? I really hurt it last night."

"Yeah, I'll have a look." Tonks dropped her bag by the door and sat down on the couch next to Remus.

Remus pulled his shirt off his shoulder. He looked at Tonks, her eyes where puffy and red. Remus heart lurched as he realized that Tonks must have been crying. "Wait, Tonks, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Tonks went to the kitchen to get a cloth and water.

"Something is wrong. You've been crying." called Remus.

Tonks came back into the room. "I'm fine, really."

As she began to wipe clean Remus wound, she tried to keep her lip from wobbling.

Remus reach over with his free hand and cupped Tonks face. "What happened?"

"They dragged in Severus Snape in for questioning. Haman spent the whole time beating him up." Tonks managed to get out.

"How long did this go on?"

"About an hour. I know the guy's a jerk and all, but it was meant to be some questions. They broke his nose. And I'm meant to just look the other way. It's terrible."

Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, Remus pulled Tonks into a tight embrace. "Snape's pretty tough. I'm sure he'll be OK."

"It's not that- not that I don't care at all- it's the corruption. It's the idea that they would do that - could do that- to anyone they were questioning."

Remus held Tonks closer to him. As much as he wanted to reassure her, he could not find anything to say that would help. In the end he just held her closer, soothing her with his presence.

* * *

**A/N:**hey guys you know what to do....


	21. A Change of Perspective

**A Change of Perspective. **

Chapter 21:

Remus woke. The ground underneath him was wet. He shivered from the cold. His whole body hurt. Slowly he pushed himself up so that he was sitting. He didn't know where he was, just that he was in the forests near his shack. The forest was dense here. He could barely see the morning sun through the trees.

Standing, Remus was glad to find that he still had enough of his pants left to keep him decent. No shoes, that was normal. As he took a few cautious steps on his bare feet, pain shot through his shoulder. It was covered in blood. Being a werewolf was not easy.

It was noon before Remus made it home. He sat on the edge of the bath using well learned healing charms on his shredded feet. He hoped that Tonks could help him with his shoulder that night.

After a warm shower, Remus sat down to rest with a sandwich and the Daily Prophet. He nearly dropped his sandwich when he unrolled his newspaper. There looking at him, was Dolores Umbridge. The story that followed was enough to put him off his food.

How could the Ministry have forced themselves into Hogwarts so completely. As long as Dumbledore was there, thought Remus. But he couldn't shake the feeling that things were going to get a lot worse.

Feeling disheartened, Remus moved his sore body on to his bed and fell into an uneven sleep.

* * *

Tonks had walked into Remus' Shack about an hour ago. She was only now looking at his shoulder. Her eyes where puffy and red from her tears. Remus watched them as she placed a healing charm over his shoulder. He still didn't know what to say to her.

"Umbridge is Horrible." Tonks said suddenly.

"It was Umbridge, that wrote the anti-werewolf legislation that was passed a few years back. Would have been worse if she had had her way." Remus said, "Did you meet her today?"

"Yeah, it was because of her that we could apprehend Snape."

"At least now you know why you had to go to work on a Saturday."

"Yeah so there would be less people around to see what we did."

Remus grabbed hold of Tonks hand. "You had no part in it. Don't think you're to blame."

"Your shoulder's better." Tonks returned the grasp on Remus hand.

Slowly Remus pulled his shirt and jumper on. "How about we go get some take out?"

"Sounds good. There's a great curry joint round the corner from the headquarters?" Tonks supplied.

"Ah, I know one." Remus suddenly thought of Sirius; he hadn't seen him for at least three days. "Do you think we should get enough for Sirius?"

"Great plan."

* * *

Amazingly Tonks made it down the Hallway without waking Mrs. Black, less amazing was the stale alcohol smell that welcomed them in the kitchen. Sitting at the large wooden table, surrounded with empty bottles was a barely conscious Sirius.

"Perhaps we should not have come. It appears you're having a pretty good party by yourself, Sirius." Remus said. He put down the take out bags as Tonks pulled plates out.

Sirius looked over at them with his blurry eyes. "Nnno one assed you's 'ere!" Sirius yelled.

Tonks dropped all three plates, quickly she waved her wand and the plates reformed themselves and landed softly on the table. "Did you drink all those bottles?" Tonks asked.

"Fork off!" Sirius slurred. "Leaveee the foooo."

"When did you start this drinking session?" Remus asked as he began to clear away the empty bottles.

"Lasssst night."

"Last night! When 'last night'?"

"Affffterr I … err … I … err … tallked toooo 'Arey."

"You talked to Harry last night. How?" Remus guessed he had used the flue network, but Sirius might have done something more stupid.

"He'sss not James." Sirius's voice croaked not just with drunkenness, but with emotion.

Remus sat down next to his friend. He put his hand down on his shoulder. "James is gone, and no matter how much Harry is like him, Harry can never replace James."

Sirius moved his hand over his mouth, covering his trembling lip. His eyes glistened with restrained tears. Remus took a deep breath. He wasn't sure he could handle both his girlfriend and his best friend losing it emotionally, on the same evening.

"Hungry?" Asked Tonks from across the table. She pushed two full plates of food over to the two friends.

Amazingly Sirius laughed. "Yeah. I'mm starvvvving."

"Is there any left of - well whatever your drinking?" Tonks stood up and moved towards the cellar door.

"Hmmm. It's a hommme Brewww." mubbled Sirius. "Errr… low shef."

"Found it." called Tonks.

"Dora, can you get me one?" asked Remus a little stunned at the turn of events.

"Dooorrra!" Sirius began to laugh.

"Not now that you called me that in front of Sirius." Tonks said as she remerged from the cellar, two bottles in her hand despite what she said.

Sirius shoveled food into his mouth, barely chewing. Remus looked over at Tonks, and as she passed him a bottle of the home brew, she gave him a smile that didn't quite meet her sad eyes.

* * *

It wasn't long after dinner that Sirius was fast asleep, head on the table. Remus moved so that he sat next to Tonks. He put his arm around her waist, and with his free hand he swept away a lock of hair from her eyes, he gazed in to them wishing he could take the sadness away.

"I'm sorry. I fear this outing did little to lighten your mood." Remus said softly.

Tonks rested her head on Remus' shoulder. "It's alright really. It took my mind off things, gave me a bit of perspective."

"Perspective, how so?"

"You, Sirius, even Snape, you've all lived through this already. You've all lost so much. But you all see that there is still so much to save. Snape sat thought a beating today, just to fight for the cause. As for Sirius, he's going stir crazy just for the chance to do something, anything. And you've turned the Order into your whole life."

"We'll lose more before this is all over." Remus tightened his grip around Tonks waist.

"I know. But that's why we fight, if we do nothing we will lose everything."

"Your parents didn't fight and they lost nothing."

Tonks stiffened in Remus arms. "They fought a different fight. And lost everything but each other."

"You consider being ex-communicated from the Black family a loss?"

Tonks sat up straight and pulled away from Remus. "No matter what they were they were her family. The loss of that support, that love, that respect. It was a lot for my mother to face without standing up to fight against them."

"Sorry. Years of hearing Sirius say that the Black family was no loss to him. I just never thought of it that way." Remus reached out his hand to Tonks. She let him take it.

"You're forgiven. Besides I don't think it's the people that she misses, it's the idea of parents. Does that make sense?"

"I think I know what you mean. As if she misses the idea that parents are infallible, people to imitated. It was giving up that childlike idea that your parents have it all together. Is that what you mean?"

"Yeah"

Tonks rested her head back down on Remus shoulder and together they sat in silent contemplation on the things that they had already given up.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey guys, so here is a little Christnmas gift for you! Tell me what you think?? And have a Happy Holiday season!


	22. An Early Christmas Break

**An Early Christmas Brake**

**Chapter 22:**

"How about a carpet ride over the French countryside?"

"I heard they can be pricey."

"Well maybe one over Cornwell instead."

Tonks and Trish sat in the Starbucks on Oxford street. With only a few weeks till Christmas busy shoppers crammed into every seat possible. None of the muggles paid any attention to the two witches and their conversation. They were debating what Trish should buy her parents for Christmas.

"I still think you should just buy them, a good bottle of wine, or maybe two," Tonks said in between sips of her nutmeg flavored coffee.

"Maybe your right. What are you getting your parents?"

"A bottle of rose wine for my mum and a fire whisky for my dad."

"So you are just telling me to get my folks what you got yours. That's so unimaginative. What about your boy Remus? What are you getting him?"

A passer by looked disapprovingly at Tonks bright pick hair. Tonks stared daggers back. "Really some people are so rude," Tonks muttered.

"Deep down she's jealous. So come on spill what are you getting Remus?"

"The thing is I have no idea."

"Oh, get off it. You just buy yourself some sexy underwear. Or a bottle of good champagne for you both to share."

"I was hoping to get something that didn't evolve around sex."

"Then I can't help you there."

Tonks shook her head in disbelief. "Want to head over to Diagon Ally?"

"Yeah, let's get away from all these crazy muggles."

A man waiting for his coffee, with a cord coat over a HMV t-shirt, turned and looked at Trish, trying to make sense of her last remark.

"Trish?" Tonks reminded her friend.

"Ahh, what do they know anyway."

The man looked even more shock. Tonks scurried after Trish as she strode out of the Starbucks.

* * *

Remus Lupin sat inside the Weasley family home. The house had so many additions and afterthoughts that Remus found it hard to work out what the ordinal structure had looked like. He was also shock at how cosy it was for a place that housed all nine of the Weasley's.

"So what was it you wanted to ask about?" Molly sat down, placing two cups of tea down as well.

"Thank you," Remus said as he picked up the steaming hot tea. "I was wanting to know what your Christmas plans were?"

"Christmas? Well we would usually have all the Children home, maybe some of the extended family. But this year with the things the way they are. I'm not so sure. I'd hate to think of Harry not being with at Christmas."

"I thought you would feel that way." Tentatively, Remus took a sip of his tea. Too hot still. "Both Harry and Sirius will want to spend Christmas together, I'm sure of that."

"Do you think it would be pushy of me to invite my family round to the Headquarters?" Molly took a large sip of her milky tea.

Remus tried to cool down his own black tea by blowing it. "It probably would be pushy, but I think it would only do Sirius good to force yourselves on him at Christmas."

"So it's set, I'll insist that the Weasley's will join Harry and Sirius. I'll send Author round tonight to settle it. Should we expect you as well, or have you got plans with that rather wonderful girlfriend of yours?"

To cover his blushing Remus took a large sip of his tea, glad that it had cool enough not to scold his tong. "We might pop over later in the evening." Remus managed to get out calmly. "We're going to try lunch with her parents. Hopefully it will be a bit less strained then the last time."

"Oh they'll warm up to you. Just give it time," Molly reassured him. "My parents told me that Arthur was a no-good goof, that would never accomplish anything professionally. They were half right, but I'm still happy and that's what matters most."

Remus nodded, felling slightly better about his Christmas plans.

* * *

Flourish and Bolts was crammed packed with Christmas shoppers. There were those on there lunch break, some were mothers trying get through the Christmas shopping before their children finished up at Hogwarts for the winter, but most were the ones like Tonks. The ones that worked a nice to five and had just realized that Christmas wasn't that far away.

"Here, what'd think of this for my sister?" Trish held up a book entitled _Be A Better You!: Spells, charms and potions to magic out your most __bothersome personal traits. _By _Iris Nailbiter._

"Not really subtle is it?" Tonks pointed out.

"Well it's better then her first book it was called 'Everyone Hates You!' I'm not even that blunt."

Tonks laughed and began looking through the folk law history books, hoping to find something for Remus. _The Bizarre and the Bon-fide: Vampire Crosspieces Revealed. _Tonks took the book down and began to flip though it. She was surprised when it was quite interesting.

"Ok I've found it. _The_ gift for my sister." Trish held a copy of a muggle cook book.

"You know that's for muggles?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah, well Steph loves this guy. Besides she says muggle cooking is so much more hands on. I don't get it myself."

Tonks looked away in disbelief. It was then that she noticed and scrawny looking girl hunched over in the advanced potions area. Tonks knew her. It was Emilia Whiltshed - Hennery, the girl Tonks had interviewed when she was picked up for Potion Pushing. Now Tonks was trying to track down her boyfriend Lysander.

Slowly and quietly Tonks drew her wand. She took at aim at the teenager. Trish noticed and tried to work out just who Tonks was about to curse. One small flick was all it took and Tonks had cast the perfect anti-dissipation charm.

The girl must have felt the charm hit. In seconds she had scanned the room, eyes resting on Tonks. In a flash she was out of the shop knocking over a display of discounted _Magical Me._ Tonks shoved the book in her hand at Trish and flew out after her.

Foolishly the girl had headed straight for an empty side street. Tonks may have been a good few meters behind the girl, but from the mouth of the side street she had a clear shoot. And that was all it took. Emilia feel flat, her oversized cloak covering her like a blanket.

Tonks ran over and flipped the girl over, making sure to grab the girls wand in the process. Emilia looked terrified. Her dark eyes flicked around, never settling. A small gash had appeared on her forehead from the fall, but it was nothing black eye, or the broken nose that appeared to be healing crocked. Those injuries were days old and were from some sort of beating.

Tonks helped the girl to her feet, leaning her on to the closet wall. Emilia didn't last long before she slid down the wall into a crumpled heap on the ground and then came the tears. More sobs then anything else. Tonks knelt down next to her.

"What happened to you?" Tonks asked curtly.

The girl sat up and looked straight at Tonks, "You have to help me!"

"You have to help yourself before I can help you?" Tonks put a reassuring hand on the girl, "Why did you send us chasing after Malcolm? It hasn't helped you."

"Mal's about the only guy I know who's stupid enough to have taken the fall. I didn't want to be the one left holding that blue ring stuff." Emilia roughly wiped her eyes. "I told Sander that I wasn't gonna hold it no more. I told him that it was over our heads, and that he should stop mixing about in it. That's when…" Emilia lifted her hand to her bruised face.

"Lysander did that to you?" Tonks asked already knowing the answer.

Emilia nodded, "He was well pissed at me."

"Some boyfriend, what are you protecting him for?"

"Well he… I don't know. I just don't know anymore." A new wave of sobs took hold of the girl.

Tonks helped Emilia to her feet and together they made there way back to the front of Flourish and Blotts. Trish stood waiting, shopping in hand. After a few words Tonks apologized to her find and made her excuses to leave. With the help of a side along apparition, Tonks and Emilia disappeared with a crack to the Auror offices at the Ministry of Magic.

* * *

**A/N: **hey guys you know what to do!!!!!


	23. Off Milk and Spilt Potions

-1**A/N:** hey guys! Sorry this has been so long coming. I've done the silly thing of working two jobs. Anyway here's a new chapter and this one is for all of you out there that are still reading my story. Thanks. Oh and please read and review.

Off Milk and Spilt Potions

Chapter 23

The fire burning in the hearth did nothing to warm the small shack. The winter chill still crept in. Remus sat wrapped in a thick blanket, a cup of warm tea cupped in his hands. His eyes flicked around the room, trying to find every last hole in the timber walls. He would have to fix them before winter really set in.

He heard the unmistakable sound of Tonks apparating just outside. It was followed by the sound of her slipping on the iced front step. Remus jumped to his feet and dashed over to the door.

He threw the door open to find Tonks lying flat on her face in the light layer of snow that had dusted the ground. "Are you hurt?"

"I don't think so." Tonks said lifting herself slowly up from the ground. "Bit wet now."

"Well quick, in by the fire before you catch cold."

Tonks gripped on to the door frame as she stepped inside the small shack. She made her way over to the fire and shrugged off her heavy travel cloak.

"You might want to keep that on." Remus said as he picked up the discarded cloak.

"Merlin's Beard you're right. It's just as cold in here."

Remus wrapped Tonks back up in her cloak, leaving his arms around her. "Should we go to yours for dinner?"

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I'd be glad to get warm."

"Good. Then grab an overnight bag; I'm not letting you come back to this ice box tonight."

Remus dropped his arms. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, I'd rather have you not frozen."

*

As Remus and Tonks crammed themselves into Tonks apartment, she told him about her day. "So I only got out from questioning Emilia, like an hour ago. Then we had to outline our action plan. Luckily Benson volunteered to stay back and write it out fully. I really glad that he's such a prat that no one will go out with him."

In search of dinner, Remus began to look through the cupboard. "You never know, he might be having troubles with his girlfriend and is desperate for any excuse not to go home. Might also explain why he's such a prat, if there is tension building up. Don't be so quick to judge, Dora."

"Sometimes I think you might be _too_ nice." Tonks threw a loose owl treat from the table at him. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"Food." Remus said, continuing his fruitless search.

"I do have milk in the fridge, but I didn't use it this morning because I thought it smelt a bit funny." Tonks went to the fridge and pulled the milk out. "I think it still smells funny."

"Merlin, I can smell that from here."

Tonks put the milk back in the fridge and closed the door. She pulled off a large stack of take out menus that where stuck to the fridge. Flicking through, she pulled one out, "Pizza?"

"I think that will be best."

Tonks ordered the pizza on the muggle phone that her apartment had come with. It didn't take long to get there, but when it did arrive, the young delivery boy was so distracted by Tonk's bright pink hair and the live owl staring at him from atop the radio, that he didn't notice the struggle Tonks had counting out the right muggle change. Seated at the table with a beer each, Remus asked Tonks, "So did you get much from the girl?"

"Emilia? Yeah." Tonks took a sip of beer. "She gave us an address for a small workshop that Lysander rents. Hopefully he'll be there when we raid it tomorrow."

"Oh. So nice to have the weekend off." Said Remus sarcastically.

"Still, nice overtime pay." she smirked at him. "So, what did you get up today? Have you seen Sirius? I hope he's not too lonely. He's hardly welcoming these days."

Remus waited for Tonks to stop talking before he answered. "I went to see Molly actually. I was talking to her about Christmas. We thought it might do everyone some good if the Weasleys joined Harry and Sirius at the headquarters."

"Good idea."

"I said we might pop round after we are finished at your parents. If we have time that is." Remus watched as Tonks' face slumped.

"Oh, we'll have time." said Tonks heavily, "I'd forgotten we said we'd go to my parents. It would have been nice to spend the whole day at the headquarters."

*

It was with great displeasure that Tonks had untangled herself from her warm bed the next morning. Remus had hardly stirred as she had gone about her morning routine, if a little quieter than usual. His light snores had been like a call to crawl back into bed next to him. But there was work to be done and her head had to be on the case. They were going ahead today on information gained from her lead. If it all went up in smoke today she'd be back to the paperwork before she even knew what happened.

The plan was to meet just near the Old Street tube station. Lysander's workshop wasn't far from it. When Tonks arrived, Benson was already there, coffee in hand. He nodded at her as a way of greeting.

"And a good morning to you as well." Tonks said bitterly.

"I said hi. Merlin, PMS much."

"Uncalled for!" Tonks shot back.

Benson just waved his hand in a dismissively.

Tonks thought about what Remus had said the night before. "Didn't your girlfriend care that you had to work late on a Saturday?"

"She's a healer. Working all weekend. So, no she didn't care."

"Oh" Tonks wondered if having a healer as a girlfriend was an excuse to be a prat. Remus would have been able to rationalize it.

"I'm not a complete arse. You're a young, out-going woman, and it was a Saturday night. I didn't have plans, so I volunteered."

"Thanks" Tonks said feeling slightly unsure if it was really Benson standing next to her.

She was still bemused when Haman turned up, flanked by two magical law enforcement officers. Introductions were made and the five of them made their way off Old Street and down a winding alley way. They came to a halt outside a basement level apartment. The smell of rotten garbage from the open bins, was not enough to disguise the lingering smell of potion brewing.

"Right there's just the one door and the one window next to it." Haman waved his wand and performed an anti-dissipation charm on the area. "Let's move in."

With Haman in the lead, they filed down the stairs to the apartment door, wands at the ready. Haman nodded at Benson, who waved his wand at the door in a non-verbal spell that blew the door right off its hinges. Haman was inside before Benson had lowered his wand.

As Tonks moved in, she could hear the shattering of glass. Strong fumes began to fill the small room. Quickly she performed a bubble head charm while she took in her surroundings. The one window had been blackened and the room was lit by two lamps in the furthest corner of the room. The walls were covered in shelves holding potions in all sorts of bottles. Even as Tonks took in all the potions, they were being sent flying across the room. Lysander Nichols, stood yelling curses and waving his wand wildly.

"Expelliarmus!" Tonks pointed her wand straight at the crazed youth. At almost the same time Haman shot long binding ropes from his wand tip.

All at once the room went quite. Tonks was glad to see that the other wizards had also used a bubble head charm, and that she was not left looking over dramatic. There were smoldering holes in the floor where dangerous potions had begun to burn through. Tonks noticed that in some of the remaining bottles were the same poorly brewed Blue Ring poison that they had seen before.

Lysander was now standing stock still; his lips pressed firmly shut as if afraid to speak. Tonks knew that it really had nothing to do with what Lysander did or didn't want to do. Haman had placed another jinx on him to keep Lysander quiet. It wasn't the procedural way to arrest someone, but Tonks knew better then to question her boss right then. Benson began to read Lysander his rights as Tonks went out side to get some fresh air. Within minutes they would be questioning him in a interrogation room at the Ministry. They had him now, and all Tonks wanted to do was go back home to Remus.


	24. A Couple of Curries

**A couple of Curries.**

**Chapter 24**

Lysander Nichols, seeing that he had no way out, had told the aurors everything. Now in the deserted office, Tonks began to fill out the stack of paperwork that followed any arrest. Heavy foot steps echoed through the empty room. Tonks spun around in her seat to see who it was.

"Kingsley." Tonks welcomed the distraction.

"Tonks, what are you doing here on a Sunday?" Kingsley leaned against the wall of Tonk's cubicle.

"Wrapping up the Blue Ring job."

"Caught your man then?"

Tonks nodded, "Yeah. Well, our brewer anyway. They guy is telling us that any correspondence with the guy who hired him has been through letters passed on by a hooded third party."

"And you believe him?"

"Benson and Haman leaned on him pretty hard. He told us everything."

"Haman uses a lot of old school methods." Kingsley straightened up, "What's your Remus doing, while you're stuck here."

Tonks gave a small smile at the sound of Remus' name. "Gone out to visit his doggy friend."

"Ah. He must get lonely, locked up like that."

"Yeah and lately he's been moodier that ever. You could go join them if you like."

Kingsley contemplated the idea for a moment. "I might. Good luck with the paper work, I'll see if I can't get you moved on to something more exciting now."

Tonks bade Kingsley good night and turned back to her paper work.

*

The glass in front of Remus had, once again, been filled with fire whiskey. He had only looked away for a moment, but this had been the routine of the day. Remus would look away only to find that Sirius had taken the opportunity to refill his friends glass, knowing that Remus would have refused the drink if he had asked.

"You're fast Sirius." Remus said picking up his now full glass. "How is it that we've been sitting here all day drinking and your reactions are still so quick?"

"You're a light weight. I'm not, that's what it comes down to." Sirius emptied is glass in one mouthful, as if to prove his point. "Besides we haven't been here all day have we? I believe that a certain someone spent the morning laying about in a certain girlfriend's bed."

"And I've told you Padfoot, I'm not saying another word about it." Remus warned.

"Oh come on! I'm stuck here with nothing and no one. Bit of kiss and tell is just what I need."

"I'm telling nothing." Remus took a small sip of his whisky. "Besides soon you'll have people in the house."

"Not till Christmas Day."

"Well, term ends in a couple of days, I'm sure you'll be able to convince Molly to bring Harry around as soon as he gets to the Burrow. We've been through this."

Before Sirius could reply the kitchen door swung open and the room filled with the scent of mouth watering spices. Both men turned to see who had interrupted their repetitive conversation.

"Kingsley!" Sirius welcomed the Auror with a large smile. "Glass of fire whisky?"

"Can't say no to that." Kingsley sat down at the long kitchen table. Putting down the two big paper bags he was carrying, He reached over and took the freshly poured glass of fire whisky from Sirius.

Remus' stomach gave a lurch as the smell of the spices intensified.

"What have you brought with you?" he asked optimistically.

"Well, Tonks told me that you were here, Remus, and suggested that I join the two of you. Well, I thought, two men, drinking all day, a couple of curries were going to be needed."

Kingsley began to unpack the assortment of dishes. Remus got to his feet feeling a little too light headed for his liking and pulled out plates and cutlery. While Sirius leaned forward, looking over each dish that Kinsley pulled out. "You truly are a great thinker Kingsley. Why aren't you Minster?"

Kingsley let out a booming laugh. "Coming from the Ministry's number one Wanted man." Remus and Sirius joined in the laughing.

Together they began to rip into the mammoth spread that Kingsley had brought with him.

"Did you know that our man Remus here spent the night at Tonks'?" Sirius managed to say with a mouth full of food.

"Did you have to Sirius?" spat Remus.

Kingsley choked on a mouthful of rice as he laughed. "I'm her superior; I really don't think I need to know anymore. But…"

"I've told Sirius this already - I'm not telling."

"Fine, Moony. Stay mysterious." Sirius heaped a spoonful of chicken kumara onto his plate. "So, Kingsley, how's the search for Sirius Black going? Found me yet?"

Kingsley looked up at Sirius, "We've had a few sightings in Stockholm. Haven't been in Sweden lately have you?"

"No." Sirius lent back on his chair. "I've never been. I think I'll add it to my list of things to do once I'm free."

Long after the remains of the food had gone cold and another bottle of fire whisky had been opened, an unmistakable crash sounded throughout the house. Someone had tripped over the large troll foot umbrella stand. The blaring voice of Mrs. Black echoed out after the crash.

Remus dropped his head into hands as he laughed to himself.

"Dora." he muttered. Slightly unstable himself, he got up and made his way up to the hallway to help her with the portrait of Mrs. Black.

"Does she have to be so loud?" Tonks shouted irritably when Remus found her in the hall righting the troll foot.

Remus flicked his wand at the painting, with a bang it was muffled with the heavy curtain. "Are you alright?" Remus walked over to Tonks.

"Tired is all." Tonks slipped her arms around Remus and quickly gave him a kiss. "Whoa. Have you been drinking all day? That's like kissing a bar mat."

"Sirius made me." Remus said taking Tonks hand and leading her down to the kitchen.

"Oh yeah."

As they entered the Kitchen Tonks almost slipped on the last step but caught herself before anyone noticed. As she looked around she saw not only Sirius, but Kingsley as well. "Wotcher Kingsley, Sirius. Have you two been forcing Remus to drink all day?"

Kingsley shook his head. Sirius grinned, "Pretty much. Now he'll have to stay the night at yours again."

Remus flashed Sirius a look of warning.

"Yeah, it's hard having a girlfriend," Tonks sniped back, "'S'pose that's why you're glad that you don't have one."

"Oh that hurt, Tonks." Sirius joked not so convincingly.

Hurrying to change the subject, but struggling to find a one, Tonks pulled out a plate and began to fill it with the cold leftovers.

"Did you get your paperwork done?" Kingsley asked.

"Yes. Bludger me, those forms are tedious." Tonks flicked her wand at her plate and instantly the food was hot. "Oh and I bumped in to Arthur. He was off to his guard duty."

Kingsley ran a hand over his shaved head, "Now that is tedious work. We haven't had any action on guard duty since Podmore went and got himself cursed."

"Doesn't mean he's not still after it." Sirius said seriously.

Remus nodded in agreement. "If it will help to keep Harry safer, then it's worth it."

"Yes." Kingsley added.

Tonks finished the last of her leftovers, "Well, sorry to break up the boys club, but I'm tired and I'm going to take my man home with me."

Sirius held his hands up in surrender. "Who am I to stand in the way of true love."

"I'll walk out with you, I've got to be off myself." Kingsley got up. "Well thanks for coming round." Sirius made a futile attempt to mask his disappointment that he would be robbed of all his company.

"Thanks for the whisky, it was top notch." Kingsley said as he gave Sirius a firm hand shake.

Remus patted him supportively on the shoulder before he headed out the door.

"See ya real soon." called Tonks following Remus out of the room.

*

Back in Tonks apartment, Remus groggily asked, "What time do you have to be up tomorrow?"

"Oh," said Tonks just as wearily, "The proviso for doing that paperwork tonight was that I get tomorrow off. So now we can spend the whole day together."

Remus watched Tonks flop down on the bed. "Oh. The farmer - whose farm I'm on - he's coming down tomorrow mid morning. He wants to help me patch the shack up, so that it's not such an eyesore. Sorry"

"Oh right. I'll just have to stay in bed all day long by myself."

"Dora, don't tempt me. I really do have to fix my shack up."

"Ok. But you better come here right now."

Remus didn't need telling twice. He got into the bed and curled up next to Tonks.

*

It was still dark when Tonks woke the next morning, and it took her a while to work out why she had awoken in the first place, but then Gaston gave her a sharp peck.

"Ouch." Tonks sat up. It was then that she heard what Gaston had heard. There was another owl pecking at the window trying to get in. Tonks twisted round to open the window, careful not to disturb Remus. As soon as the window opened the owl swooped in and brandished the letter on its leg.

"Right. I'm taking it." Tonks mumbled grumpily. No sooner had Tonks taken the letter, the owl was off. Before she opened the letter Tonks twisted again to shut the window against the bitter draught.

She read the letter through once. A cold tingly feeling filled Tonks.

She read the letter through a second time.

"Remus." Tonks stretched out a hand to Remus' shoulder. "Remus, you need to read this."

"Hmmmm." Remus pushed himself up on his elbow. "What is it Dora?"

"Arthur Weasley was attacked tonight."

* * *

**A/N:**Hey guys, Thanks again for reading! let me know if you Like it or lothed it.


	25. One Long Day

**One Long Day**

**Chapter 25**

"Remus… Remus. You need to read this."

Remus struggled to pull himself out of his deep slumber. It was dark, but warm, he remembered, he was at Tonks'. It was her hand on his shoulder, her voice that had woken him. "Hmm." For a moment he took in the pleasure of waking in a warm bed next to her. He turned and looked at Tonks, he could see her face was pale even in the dark. He pushed himself up on to his elbow, a sense of dread filling him. "What is it Dora?"

"Author Weasley was attacked tonight."

Remus sat bolt upright. In one shaky hand Tonks held a small piece of parchment, the other hand was holding her face as if she expected it to fall apart. He reached out and slipped the parchment from her hand. It was a letter written in a neat print.

_Miss Tonks,_

_Unfortunately I must inform you that late last night Arthur Weasley was gravely injured while fulfilling his duty for the Order. He has now been moved to St. Mungo's where he has been stabilized._

_The Weasley Family as well as Mr. Potter have been moved to the Headquarters. They are planning to visit Author this afternoon, if you are able accompany the Weasleys and Mr. Potter for this visit your help would be much appreciated. Please inform Alastor Moody if you are available._

_Professor Minerva McGonagall_

As Remus finished reading the letter, he could hear Tonks fumbling for a quill and parchment next to the bed. She popped up shortly after holding a scrappy piece of parchment and a self-inking quill. Hastily, she lent the parchment against the wall and scribbled a note to Mad Eye. Remus, squinting through the darkness, read it over her should.

_Moody,_

_I can help this afternoon._

_Tonks_

Tonks turned and looked at Remus. "You can't get out of your plans?"

Remus thought about the old farmer who let him stay in the shack on his land for free, all he had to do was keep an eye on the sheep that grazed that far up the hill. How would he explain why he couldn't keep their plans to fix his shack up. "I really shouldn't, sorry, let them know wont you."

Tonks nodded and scribed once more on the parchment.

_P.S. Remus is sorry that he is unable to help._

Tonks rolled up the note and attached it to Gaston's foot. As she opened the window so that the bird could fly out, another owl flew in. this owl landed in Remus lap and had a piece of parchment identical to Tonks' note from McGonagall. Remus took the note and the owl followed Gaston out the open window.

Remus opened the note. "Same as before, but addressed to me."

"I just can't believe it, I saw him just last night. I wonder what happened?"

"Well he's safe and that's what counts. I'm sure we'll hear the story. For now, lets just try and get a bit more sleep."

Remus shut the window and Tonks crawled back under the covers and shuffled up close to him. He looped his arm around her reassuringly. Neither of them could go back to sleep, but both lay there in each others silent company.

* * *

"We searched everywhere; the snake was well and truly gone by the time we got there."

"And the prophecy?"

"Still there. Nothing touched except for Arthur."

Tonks was eating her way through a stack of toast at Kingsley's house. Remus sat to her left, a cup of tea in hand, listening to Tonks ask her questions. He had learnt that it was easiest to let her talk then to interrupt.

"And you say it was Harry that sounded the alarm?" Remus asked when he was sure Tonks had run out of questions.

"Yes," Kingsley replied in his deep voice. "Apparently Harry dreamt it. I was still at the office and I got down there as soon as I heard. Emmeline wasn't tpo far behind me. It was Emmeline who got Arthur to St Mungo's, I stayed behind and searched the area."

The door bell sounded through the house. Kingsley excused himself to answer it.

"He dreamt it," Remus muttered to himself. He reached across and stole a piece of Tonks toast.

"Oi. That was mine," Tonks said with a smile.

"It was going to get cool," Remus said as he took a large bite.

"Oh really. Well you watch out, too many pieces of toast and you might put on some weight."

Kingsley re-entered the room with Mad-Eye in toe. Mad-Eye'\'s magical eye swiveled round the room, satisfied that no one was hiding in wait for him, he sat down, his eye came to a halt.

"Toast, Alastor?" Kinsley offered. "Tea? Pumpkin juice?"

"No. Can't be too careful." Mad- eye replied his eye began to once again scan the room.

Tonks looked suspiciously down at the toast she had only moments ago be all too happy to eat. Slowly she took a cautions bite. When nothing happened she shrugged and powered on through the last slice.

"Tonks," Mad-eye turned both eyes on to her, "now we'll go and pick up the Weasleys 2pm sharp. I expect to meet you there then. Sure you can't help Remus?"

Remus gave the small sad smile that Tonks adored so much. "My land lord really is so nice to give up his time for me today. I really can't throw it back in his face."

Tonks glanced at the clock hanging up on the kitchen wall, "Speaking of which, shouldn't you be getting on?"

Remus ran a hand over Tonks back, "Knew you would try to get rid of me."

"Oh!" Tonks looked shocked. "Never!"

Remus lent over and kissed her. "Right, I'll see you later tonight."

Tonks nodded and watched Remus pick up his cloak and head for the door. Mad-Eye's eye followed Remus as well.

"You watch yourself there Tonks, He is a werewolf." Mad-Eye warned.

"Rubbish, Alastor. Not many men better the Remus Lupin. You hold onto him, Tonks." Kingsley looked at Mad-Eye with a look of cautioning.

* * *

Remus Lupin stood outside his small stone shack on the side of a hill in the Yorkshire dales. Bits of heath could be seen here and there where the sheep had disturbed the snow. A low fog still crept across the ground even though the morning was almost half gone. Not far away a sheep barred. It sounded ghostly against the silence.

Not for the first time, Remus wondered what a muggle could do to the shack that he, a wizard, had not. Whatever it was he hoped that it worked. He could not keep imposing himself on Tonks, and there was no way he would last the winter with the shack in the sate that it was.

A low rumble broke his train of thought. Louder and louder the sound became. Soon the lights of Farmer Edwards truck came into sight. He pulled up next to where Remus stood.

Edwards got out of the Truck. He was a tall man, skinny, with a lined weathered face. He was an older man, yet he walked over to Remus with the energy of a man much younger.

"Couldn't help but think of you last night. Bitter cold it was. Sooner we get this place a bit warmer for you the better, aye?" Edwards spoke with a thick dales accent and Remus had to listen hard to understand him.

"Yes," Remus said, "And I really have no idea about home repairs, so thank so much for helping."

He shook his head, "I've never got, Lad. You and your posh accent. You sound well educated to me. What are you doing on my farm?"

Remus laughed nervously, "Sometimes one just needs a safe place to hide; to be free."

"Oh Lad, don't you know if you're hiding, you're free." Edwards old eyes priced Remus'. "Any roads, let's get work."

With out warning Edwards turned and walked to the back of his truck. Remus followed after him.

"What I thought, lad, was we'd start by patching the holes in the walls with some cement." Edwards pointed out the large white sack, that Remus could only describe as heavy looking. "Then this afternoon, we'll get in to that there roof and roll out some of this insulation."

"Right, well what can I do first?" Remus asked pulling the sleeves up on his jumper.

"Believe it or not, I'm not as young as I look, so if you want to jump up on the truck there and help me lift the cement bag out."

Remus pulled himself up on to the truck and began what was looking like a day of hard work.

* * *

"That is one truly awesome hat." Tonks was standing in the Hallway of number Twelve. Mad-Eye stood next her with a bowler hat sloped over his magical eye. Even as Tonks spoke more Weasley's poured down the stairwell to meet them.

"As long as it's not green…" said Fred.

"….like Fudges?" added George.

Ginny giggled, "Oh, you're all crazy it looks ridiculous."

"Well he can't walk through London with that eye scaring the muggles half to death," Molly said slipping on a jacket.

"Yeah, well, he's plenty scary without the eye, if you ask me," Tonks pointed out.

Mad-Eye only grunted.

"I think were all here - Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, and Harry. Yes all here. Ready when you are Alastor."

On the way through London, Tonks asked Harry about his dream. It really was odd and Tonks wanted something to tell Remus later. Unfortunately Tonks found that Harry really wasn't as receptive of her thousands of questions as he usually was.

No one tried to attack them on there way to St Mungo's, and on there arrival Tonks giggled to herself as she watched Harry's eyes widen with amazement. They walked through the hospital with little fuss. The family went in to their father first and Tonks and Mad-Eye waited outside the ward.

When the group of teenagers remerged, Tonks and Mad-Eye walked into the ward. Mad-Eye closed the door behind them. Briefly Tonks glanced at the man in the bed opposite Arthur. The cart on the end of his read 'Werewolf bite'. She resisted the urge to run over and tell him that every thing was going to be alright.

After a brief run down of events with Arthur that where on there way back to number twelve before Tonks knew it. Tonks noticed that Harry looked even more approachable then before the visit. She wasn't the only on to notice the Weasley children all kept shooting Harry nervous glances.

* * *

Remus arrived at the Headquarters just after dark. He was still damp, from sweet or the general misty weather he wasn't quite sure. Quietly he made his way down to the kitchen.

In the kitchen Molly was hard at work over the stove. Sirius was helping slice and dice. Mad-Eye sat with a guard roster in front of him reassigning Arthur's shifts. Tonks sat alone flicking through one of Molly's Which Weeklys.

Remus went over and gave one of her pink locks a light tug. "Good evening."

"Wotcher." Tonks closed the Magazine. "You look bugged. Old Farmer Eddie or whatever his name is, get you working hard?"

Remus nodded wearily, "Got a hole in my jumper as well."

Remus lifted his arm up so Tonks could see the tear that ran from his elbow almost to his cuff. Tenderly Tonks ran her fingers over the hole. Slowly her eyes came to the colored strips around the cuff. The faded gold and red were unmistakable. "Remus Lupin, is this your old school jumper?"

Remus jerked his arm away from Tonks. "Some people don't have the money to spend on cloths all the time." He snapped.

"I didn't mean it like that." Tonks looked at Remus with distaste, "Just because your tired doesn't mean you can snap at me."

"I didn't _snap._" Remus shot back. "And I'm not grumpy."

"Uh ha. Right. No not moody or grumpy at all," Tonks said sarcastically.

"And what are you getting at?" Remus struggled to keep his voice down.

"Oh, you're impossible when your moody. And as far as I know it wasn't a full moon last night, so what's your excuse? Feeling older today or is it poorer or then again is it the dangerous werewolf thing? Because I've lost track of where were up to in this conversation." Tonks looked away from Remus and noticed that the other occupants of the room where now all looking at the two of them.

Remus sat staring at the wall across from him. "Been holding that one in for a while then?"

"Yes I have." Tonks sat grumpily for a moment. Then her eyes travelled back to Remus. He was thinking she could tell. She watched as he went to talk several times but stopped before he made any sound. "Are you actually thinking about answering my question?"

Remus nodded. "Yes, but not in a room full of people."

Tonks reached out for Remus hand, pulled it away. "I don't care about the jumper. Or your lack of money. What I care about is the man inside the jumper. And if I didn't know that you could mend your jumper far better then me, then I'd be demanding that you gave it to me to fix immediately."

Remus looked sideways at Tonks. "I'm sorry I snapped." He whispered.

Tonks smiled, "Now loud enough for the rest of the room to hear, since they hear the argument."

"Oh, you really are insistent," Remus moaned, but with a smile on his face.

"But that's why you love me," Tonks said as she rested her head on his arm. "Isn't it?"

"One of the many." Remus bent his head and kissed her on the forehead.

"You two are disgusting." Sirius shook his head at the two of them.

"Sickening." Growled Mad-Eye.

"Oh, shut up the both of you it's lovely," Molly said holding back a small choke of emotion.

Eager to change the subject Remus asked about Harry. "So do we know why Harry was dreaming what he was dreaming?"

Moody looked up from his work. "He saw it happen through the eyes of the snake. If you ask me You-Know-Who's possessing him somehow."

"We don't know that for sure," Sirius jumped in.

"Whatever happened it was enough to get Dumbledore worried," Molly said as she took the cut vegetables from Sirius and added them to the stew.

"If Dumbledore's worried then it could be something as bad as possession." Remus said looking apolitically at Sirius.

Sirius stabbed the knife in hand into the table. "That doesn't matter. Harry doesn't nee to be worrying about. Dumbledore will think of a solution, and that will be the end of it."

Realizing the end of the conversation, Mad-Eye passed the amended roster over to Tonks and Remus. "Give that a look over; tell me if you can't do any of the dates."

Remus looked down at the parchment. Glad that Christmas was just around the corner, hopefully that would bring a bit more joy for the residents of number twelve.

* * *

A/N:

Hey guys, bit of a longer chapter for you all. Hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you thought?

Oh and how terrible was it that the Remus/Tonks story was left out of HP&HBP, very sad. At least the rest of the film was brilliant.


	26. A Cold Christmas Welcome

**A Cold Christmas Welcome.**

**Chapter 26**

"No!"

Sitting upright, Tonks gasped. For a second or two her breath was still staggered sounding. Remus reached for her, placing a hand on both shoulders, before reaching for her face and turning it to him. He saw her eyes swim with fear, relief, and embarrassment.

"It's alright now." Remus whipped a single tear from her face. "It was just a bad dream."

"Yeah it was." Tonks still looked shaky despite her words or reassurances.

"Dora?"

"It's the same dream every time, Remus." Tonks' voice was so soft Remus had to strain to hear it. "I don't do anything. I just sit there and let the death eaters kill them. I let them kill my parents. Why would I dream that?"

"Because," Remus now wrapped his arms around her, bringing her close to him, "you're scared, not that you would do nothing if your parents were being attacked, but that you would _not be able_ to do something."

"When did you get so smart?"

"I'm always this smart I just play dumb a lot of the time."

"You don't usually wake up when I do."

"And I don't usually stay over this close to a full moon. I sleep less deeply the closer I am to one."

"Oh." Tonks lay back down on the bed. Remus followed suit, pulling the bed sheets up over them. After a moment or two of them being still and silent Tonks let out a large sigh. "I'm so awake now."

"Me too."

With a hint of mischief Tonks said, "Hmmm, I wonder what we could do here alone in this bed together at this late hour? Especially with us both being so awake, and I don't know about you, but I'm just full of energy."

Remus' hand moved around Tonks' waist. "Hmmm, I wonder." he let his had slip underneath her pajama top. "Perhaps we could play chess?"

Tonks twisted around so that she was facing him. "Like that's what you're thinking." She hit him playfully.

Remus' only response was to pull her in to a passionate kiss, that left her in little doubt what he was thinking about.

*

The Tonks family house looked very different from the last time Remus had visited it. Covered in a thick layer of snow, the cottage merged with its surroundings effortlessly. A tasteful string of Christmas lights were hung along the eaves of the house, the large Christmas tree could be seen through the window and smoke puffed out from the chimney, making the whole place look so much more welcome then it was to Remus.

"You'll be fine," Tonks reassured him as they trudged up the driveway. "They've had time to adjust."

Doubtful about this Remus said nothing.

The door opened before they got to it. Andromeda stood on the door step, "Nymphadora! Sweetheart!" Tonks dashed forward into her mothers arms.

"Merry Christmas, mum."

Andromeda released her daughter and moved her attention to Remus. "Remus it's so lovely to have you here again."

Remus expressed his thanks, and gave her light kiss on the cheek in way of a welcome. Together they moved inside and after dropping the bags down joined Ted Tonks by the fire. A rather tied voice was blearing out of the wizard wireless that sat on the mantle. Listening Remus worked out that it was a Quidditch match commentary. Ted Beamed up at them from the couch, without a word he stretched out his arm and invited his daughter in for a hug.

Tonks sat down on the couch and lent over into her fathers arms. "Merry Christmas daddy."

Ted reached out a hand to Remus. "Remus, Merry Christmas." Remus retuned the greeting and shock his hand.

"Is this still the Portree / Wanderers game?" Tonks asked her Dad.

Ted nodded but continued listing silently.

"How long have they been playing?"

"Twenty six hours and about thirties five minutes."

"Wow." Tonks gasped before slipping into the same comatose listening state that her father was in.

Bemused by the sight of both father and daughter so engrossed in the Quidditch match, Remus sat down in the arm chair that sat right next to the fire. It wasn't long before the warm room began to render Remus quite drowsy. Remus embraced the feeling as he watched the progress of the twinkling Christmas light on the large tree that occupied a whole corner of the room.

Andromeda entered the room with a tray laded with mince pies, wine and glasses. She placed the try down on the low table in the middle of the room, before sitting in the other armchair next to the tree. Taking in scene of Ted and Tonks, she rolled her eyes, a movement that didn't escape Remus' attention.

"I've never really _got_ Quidditch," Remus said.

"That makes two of us." Andromeda smiled. "We won't be able to talk to them now until the games over."

"We'll have to settle for each others company."

"Yes, we will. Tell me Remus do you find yourself more or less tired as the full moon approaches?"

Despite what Andromeda said Tonks heard this comment. "Mum!"

"Right, might just turn this off." Ten got up and switched the wireless off. "Seeing as we have guests and all." He gave his wife a reproachful look as he made his way back to his seat.

"Less," Remus said steadily.

"Remus, sweetheart, you don't have to answers my mum's rude questions," Tonks interjected.

"Full moons only a few nights off isn't?" asked Andromeda despite the looks from both her daughter and husband.

"Don't worry Andromeda I'll be out of your house after lunch tomorrow. Full moons the night after next." And with that Remus got up and left the room.

*

Cautiously Tonks opened the door of the spear room. Remus sat on the end of the bed his book unopened in his hands. Slowly Tonks made her way over to the bed. She stood in front of Remus and pulled the book from his hands. She dropped it onto his open bag. She ran a hand through his hair tenderly.

"She can be a bitch," Tonks said quietly.

"She definitely knows how to push my buttons."

"At least she's met you," Tonks said trying not to sound bitter.

"Well, you've never really asked about my family."

"I was hoping you'd tell me, Remus."

"You really want to know." Remus looked up into Tonks eyes.

"Yes. How can it be worse than my mum being such a bitch to you."

Remus took a deep breath, then talking to Tonks feet he began. "I grew up on a farm, my father grew all different types of Potion ingredients, you know that much. Well come harvest time he would hire two or three men to come in and help him harvest. One year he hired a man called Fenrir Greyback, he was a werewolf. When my father found out he refused to pay him anything but half the amount owing to him, a grave mistake on my father's behalf. Greyback took his revenge. He attacked me." Remus took another deep breath before continuing. "I had an older brother, his name was Johan. When Greyback attacked, the assault that changed me, killed Johan. Some people don't change, there is too much damage, they bleed out."

"Remus," Tonks knelt down in front of him. She held his hand in hers.

"My father never really accepted what I had become, I think he would have rather that I'd died like my brother. I don't think my mother ever forgave my father for angering Greyback and for rejecting me."

"What happened to them?"

"My father left when I was in my fourth year. I've never seen him again and I don't want to. My mother. . . she's. . . well, she's best without me."

"Remus, what happened?" Tonks tried to get Remus to look at her, but he was determined not to meet her eyes.

"I'm not ready to talk about that yet."

"OK."

Gently Tonks sat up on the bed next to Remus. She slid her arms around him. Tonks lost track of how long they sat like that, in the early hours of the morning, Tonks threw all house rules out the window, they began to pull each others cloths off, slowly, gently she made love with Remus.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey guys, you know what to do, let me know what you think.


	27. A Hard Truth

**A hard Truth**

Remus lay in bed next to Tonks. He'd been awake for hours, just lying there, listening to her breathing. Every now and then, he would hear a tree branch from outside groan under the weight of snow. It was far more peaceful then Tonks' London apartment.

The sound of floorboards creaking sounded throughout the quiet house. Slowly, Remus slid his arm from Tonks' grip. Even more gently, he climbed over her and out of the bed. Only once out in the hall, was he was able to see light escaping from underneath the kitchen door. With a lightness of foot he could only achieve so close to a full moon he crept down the hall in a few quick steps and turned the door handle hoping that he would find Ted and not Andromeda.

"Ted." Remus felt his body relax. Ted spun around so fast he had to catch the bench top to stop him from falling over.

"Merlin's beard! Remus I didn't hear you at all."

"Sorry, I was creeping a bit. Didn't want to run into the wrong parent."

"Look, mate, sorry about the missus. She just needs time."

Remus gave a warm smile before sitting down on one of the kitchen stools. "That's what Tonks says as well."

"Well it's true. I think her dislike for you comes from her family. Werewolves being considered such a dark creature and all, by her reasoning you have to be a bad guy. She doesn't want Dora anywhere near bad guys."

"She couldn't have been too happy when Dora decided to be an Auror?"

"Oh no. They had a huge fight and they didn't speak to each other for six months. Same almost happened when she told us she'd joined the Order."

"You know about the Order?"

"Your old pal, Sirius Black, tried to get us to sign up last time. Andromeda said no, on account of our little baby girl. This time it was that little girl who was trying to get us to sign up."

Remus sat in thought for a while. "So if I haven't yet passed the mother test, have I at least got your approval?"

"You have my approval as long as you have my daughter's."

Remus let out a sigh of relief.

"Now, I'm not up this early because I like it. There is a Christmas breakfast to be made and seeing as you're up already, you're helping."

* * *

Lupin, despite being so close to a full moon, had to fight off fatigue. Since he and Ted had laid out the breakfast table he had not stopped eating. Tonks and her mother had eaten only one serving of the meal before moving into the kitchen to cook the main event.

There was so much food there appeared to be more leftovers than there was food eaten. Ted had already moved on the couch and was fast asleep, his Santa hat askew.

Tonks came back from the kitchen and collected the last few dishes that littered the table. Remus watched the way her hips moved as she moved in between the chairs and table. The long red hair she had donned for the day slipping out from behind her ears. Suddenly it wasn't the urge to sleep he was fighting off.

"Why don't you go over to the tree? Mum and I will be through soon," Tonks said with a smile. "She's great with her dish washing charms."

Remus obediently padded over to the Christmas tree that looked like a display tree at a shop. The decorations all matched, it managed to look full without looking cluttered. The lights twinkled so magically that he knew that it was no simple charm. In short, it made Remus' tree in his shack look pathetic.

"Whoo-hoo. Present time!" Tonks bounced into the room and grabbed Remus round his bloated belly.

Ted woke up with a groan.

"There is no changing you, is there Dora?" Andromeda said gliding into the room with the grace of every member of the Black family.

Tonks gave a cheesy grin, before dropping to the floor and dishing out presents. "This one is for Dad from Mum."

Before long the floor was littered with bright scraps of paper. Remus sat leafing through a tower of books, a new jumper pulled on despite the warmth of the room. Tonks had a bigger pile than any of them. Remus had mostly given her books that had a distinct, well-loved feel about them. While her parents had lavished her with home wares that she was likely to never use.

Remus glanced at the clock on the mantle. She stood bolt upright, sending his new books tumbling around him. "I'm meant to be at the headquarters . . . now."

"Oh crap. You better go straight there." Tonks stood up more slowly yet still managed to send her books tumbling to the ground as well.

"Thank you for your hospitality, sorry for rushing out on you," Remus said to the Tonks'.

"Anytime mate." Ted extended his sausage fingered hand. Remus shook it whole heartedly.

"Good to see you," Andromeda added with a forced smile. Remus returned it with an equally forced smile.

Tonks walked him to the door. "Meet me at nine tonight and I'll have all your things."

Remus nodded and gave her a quick kiss before jogging off down the drive way.

* * *

"So how is my lovely cousin Andromeda?" Sirius greeted Remus in the hall and surprisingly he had a large smile on his face.

"It was-"

"You're late," said the gruff voice of Mad-Eye.

"Yes, I lost track of time. Sorry." Remus mumbled apologetically.

"Well, Mundungus has acquired a car from somewhere; we're ready to go now if that's ok with you?"

Remus nodded mutely and let Mad-Eye tell the Weasley's that it was time to leave.

Remus kept a keen look out for anything on the trip but it was uneventful. If death eaters were out to get Harry they weren't working on it on Christmas Day. St Mungo's was quiet as well and they all made their way into Mr Weasley's room without much fuss.

Mr Weasley looked good, too good. The last Remus had heard, was that none of the charms or potions had been working against the poison. Remus wasn't the only one to notice. As Molly began her interrogation, Remus looked for an escape. He swept his eyes around the room and caught sight of the werewolf patient.

"Not too long now and you'll be over the first full moon."

The patient gave Remus a deathly stare. "What would you know?"

"I've been infected for longer than I haven't."

"You'd be the friend that he tries to talks to me about," the patient gave a nod in Arthur's direction.

"That would be me."

"Does it get better?"

There was a large burst of noise as Mrs Weasley began to yell at her husband. In amongst the noise Remus quietly shook his head answering the patient with the truth. "No, it doesn't."


	28. Invites and Transformations

**Invites and Transformations**

It was past nine by the time Tonks arrived home after Christmas dinner at her parents' house. She scanned the front steps of her apartment, no Remus. Briefly she wondered if he had decided not to come, perhaps he had reached his limit for the Tonks family for one day. Heaving the large bag of Christmas gifts up on to her shoulder Tonks began to mount the stairs, hopping that Remus was in fact just late.

Tonks walked down her hallway, her bag brushing the wall, threating to pull her to the ground with its weight. The usual sound omitting from behind the doors of neighbouring apartments where mingled with Christmas carols. Pulling her keys out as she reached her door Tonks noticed that light was flooding out of the crack under the door. Slowly she withdrew her wand.

Tonks gently tapped the door and called out softly, "Remus?"

Tonks listened as she heard movement inside her apartment and footsteps heading towards the door. She raised her wan to chest height, ready to strike. Tonks' heart beat faster as the door knob moved. She took up a steady position and tried to slow her breathing. The door opened.

"Hello. Your …" Remus stood in the doorway, his mouth now dangling open in midsentence. His eyes focusing on Tonks wand tip.

"Mouldy Merlin's beard, it's just you?" Tonks lowered her wand, at the same time the bag on her shoulder slipped unbalancing her.

Remus caught her and the bag before either could hit the ground. "Your friend Kim, with the red bits in her hair, she let me in when she saw me waiting on the steps out front. I lied and told her I had a key for your apartment."

Tonks allowed herself to be ushered into her own apartment.

"Oh, that's nice of Kim, not letting you freeze."

"Yes. It was pretty easy to get in her however. I just used Alohomora. You should think of putting more enchantments n place." Remus told Tonks. "Not that you're not a security to yourself. I was rather scared of you when I opened the door just now."

Tonks looked unbelievingly up at him from the chair she had sat on, "Really?"

"Yes. It was just quite clear to me how you can be an Auror. You looked ready to kill."

"Sorry." Tonks was now looking around the small room that made up the bulk of her apartment. Something was different.

"Tea?" offered Remus as he taped his wand to the kettle, instantly making it steam.

Tonks nodded distractedly. She stood up and peered around into the bedroom, then crossed the room and opened the bathroom door. The bathroom seamed to shine back at her, a pine smell that Tonks had not smelt since standing in Harry Potter's aunt's kitchen, filled her nose. Quickly she shut the door.

Before Tonks could say anything to Remus, he passed her a tea. He sat down at the table with his own tea and began to empty the contents of the heavy bag Tonks had brought back with her.

"Remus?" Tonks began, "did you, sorta, maybe – not that I mind- clean my apartment?"

Looking up from a book Remus mildly answered, "I just put some things away while I waited."

"Err… putting some things away would mean that the dishes got done… or that the cloths pile got stuffed into the closet. Remus the shower looks like it's been bleached, that is not putting things away."

"I couldn't just stuff your cloths in the closet."

Tonks put her mug down on the table and went to looking the closet. "Wow. Not even when I first moved in has this closet looked so tidy." Tonks walked over to Remus and sat down on his lap. "Thank you. This is a great Christmas gift."

"It was rather selfish really. I spend so much time here, and I really do prefer things to be a bit tidier then you have them." Remus said apologetically.

"Well in that case I'll let you keep clean up after me." Tonks got up and moved to her own chair. Settling down to her cup of tea she asked, "How was Arthur?"

Tonks watched as Remus hair fell across his face, he pushed it back before talking. "He's good; starting to mend. One of the Healers is using a muggle alternative, looks like it's doing the job."

"That's really good. Did you get a chance to talk to the guy with the werewolf bite?"

Remus' brows farrowed as he thought of the new werewolf. "He's still quite bitter about it. The Healers will provide him with Wolfsbane for the next few months while he gets used to the transformation. I suspect they will remove him from Arthur's ward tomorrow for the full moon."

"That's tomorrow?" Tonks asked slightly shocked that it had crept up again so soon.

Remus turned very stern, "Dora it is imperative that you remember the lunar cycle. What if you were to turn up to my place while I was transformed?"

"Sorry, it just slipped my mind right now." Tonks reached across the table for Remus hand. "It's been a long day. Can we just go to bed?"

Remus smiled at Tonks. He got out of his seat and walked around to Tonks. Bending down he ran his hand through her bright pink hair before cupping her cheek. He lent down and kissed her deeply. "Merry Christmas", he breathed as he pulled away.

Deep within the forest that stood by Remus' shack the trees where so thick that snow had been unable to coat the undergrowth. Remus paused, leaning against a fallen tree; he had been walking for over an hour. As he caught his breath he listened to the sounds of the forest. Branches creaked and moaned under the weight of snow; small animals were foraging for food even in the dense cold; high above a bird let out a loud call. Each sounded as if it was being made right by the fallen tree, Remus could even smell the animals that foraged for food. Remus knew however that it was his heighted senses that allowed him to pick up such distant sounds and smells. At this time of the afternoon the forest was already dark, soon it would be nightfall and Remus' transformation would take place.

Remus had left Tonks early that morning. He had muttered goodbyes to a half asleep Tonks while she half-heartedly tried to pull him back to bed. He had spent the morning reading one of the new books that Tonks had given him for Christmas; it was about the magical political system and its history. After a brief lunch he had begun to walk. He walked into the forest. He did not stick to paths; however he knew exactly where he was.

Before Remus knew it, small strips of moonlight begun to trickle through the trees. A spasm ran up his left side. Remus thought about Tonks' bug smile and full lips. His heart rate quickened. He thought about the sound of her laugh. His hands began to tremble. He thought about the softness of her skin. His whole body started to shake. He thought about her hair and could almost smell it. His shoulders hunched; his body curling in on its self. He thought of her twinkling black eyes.

A wolf stood on all fours. It breathed in deeply, taking in its surroundings. It thought of noting but the night. Searching for the moon it raised its head and howled.

Tonks had lain in bed all morning. When she had gotten up it had been to be nicely reminded that Remus had cleaned her apartment. Not wanting to destroy the tidiness too quickly she made sure that she made the bed and washed her breakfast dishes.

Even Gaston's cage had been cleaned. The owl, now perched in the cage, had his wing up over his head and was fast asleep. A small stack of mail was sitting on the table, a sign that the bird had been awake earlier. Tonks hastily flicked through them. One was a late Christmas card from a muggle aunt, another was junk mail advertising love potions, last was an invitation to Trish's New Year's Party.

Tonks was happy to see that Trish had addressed the invite to her and Remus. He had not met any of Tonks' friends yet and here was the perfect opportunity. All she had to do was convince him to come. Hopeful, Tonks picked up the second hand Weird Sisters biography that Remus had bought her and spent the afternoon reading.

**A/N: **So I haven't updated since I started Uni on top of working. Not a good excuse I know. But I've had a few e-mails recently telling me that people have added this story to their alert list, so I figure I should get back on it and finish this story. I have a pretty good idea of how it's all going to happen from now o in so hopefully I can keep updating now every week to two weeks. Please review! It really makes me feel like writing more when I know people are reading. Thanks so much.


	29. New Years

**NEW YEARS**

"Dora dear, tell me again why _I _have to come to this party?"

Tonks was in the bathroom of her small apartment putting the final touches to her hair. She was going for long pink hair that slowly turned purple, so far she had got the pink to fade but she was struggling to get the purple to start at just the right place. The door was open and Remus' voice had come through from where he sat reading a book on the history of wizardry politics.

"This is really your type of thing." Remus' voice came again.

"I want you to meet my friends."

"I don't know if that's the best idea. I'm much older and poorer then they would expect. And what if one then recognises that I'm a werewolf? I'm sure your friends don't want someone like me at their party."

Tonks had heard all this before and she was not going to be persuaded Remus argument, besides she finely gotten the purple in her hair to look right. "My friend won't care and if they do care then they aren't my friends."

Tonks steeped out of the bathroom. She had tight back knee length dress on with a thick purple belt around her waist which matched perfectly with her heel. Feeling Remus eyes on her more than seeing them she performed a small twirl. However this was never a good idea without the heels. As if anticipating the fall Remus rushed over and caught her in his arms.

"You're beautiful," he whispered to her.

No matter how many times she heard his say this she could not help but blush. "Then come with me and make sure no one steals me away from you," she jibed.

* * *

Not long after, Remus and Tonks apparated outside of a small town house in the outskirts of Tinworth. _Bill will be there. I can talk to Bill. _Remus kept repeating the same thought over and over. _I can talk to Bill, he'll be there._ It wasn't that he did not like parties; in fact he rather enjoyed a room full of good company. It was the fact that Tonks friends would all be quite a bit younger than him, they also where bond to look down on his worn out daggy cloths. He had however worn the new jumper Tonks had given him for Christmas. There was also the other worry that Tonks' friend Trish worked in the magical creatures' department, one of the gest, or even Trish herself, could recognise Remus from the werewolf registration office. He put is worries aside and marched towards the front door of Trish's house.

Remus had to hold tight to Tonks as they made their way up the garden path, every steep she took in her heels was a battle to stay upright. Remus wondered how she would survive the night. Tonks rang the bell. She turned to him and gave him a quick kiss as they waited.

A round faced blond girl with big red lips opened the door. "Tonks!" she through her arms around Tonks. Tonks returned the hug with as much enthusiasm. It was too much, Tonks faulted on her heels and began to fall sideways before Remus caught her.

"You must be Remus," The blond girl gushed, "I'm Trish. Tonks and I were in Hufflepuff together. But I bet she's told you that. You're really cute I can see what she means now. Tonks has told me loads about you. Actually not as much as she usually tells me; but then I figure that's because she really likes you."

"Right," said Remus, "It's lovely to meet you Trish." He held out his to shake Trish's. Now with no one holding her up Tonks fell off her heels and into the garden bed.

"I knew this wouldn't work." Tonks pulled out her wand and pointed it at her heels. In a puff of blue smoke they had become flats. "Think that might be safer."

"Be safer to stay in the garden all night, but then you'll miss the party," Trish smiled down at Tonks. Together with Remus they pulled Tonks to her now sturdier feet.

* * *

Remus spent the first half of the night being dragged round the room after Tonks, being introduced to numerous witches and wizards. Most were very pleasant to Remus but few said more to him then 'nice to meet you'. He was relieved when Bill Weasley arrived, at last someone he could talk to. Bill waved at Remus and pushed his way across the room to him. The party had really begun to fill out by this time and Remus didn't notice till Bill reached his that he had brought a date.

"Hiya Remus. This Is Fleur." Bill indicated to the extremely beautiful girl standing next to him. Remus took in her soft pale skin, sparkling blue eyes, and her long silk like blond hair. He noticed how the girl radiated beauty. Remus breathed in deeply, being a werewolf had its advantages, and he could smell that she wasn't quite human.

"Lovely to meet you," Remus held a hand out to Fleur.

She looked at Remus shabby clothes; however she gave a curt smile as she shook his hand, "Lovely to meet you too."

"Has Tonks abandoned you?" asked Bill.

Remus looked around, "she was just here."

Before Bill could say any more an old school friend of Bill's had crashed through the crowd to greet him. Tonks popped back to Remus side. She craned her neck to get a view of Bills date. After Bill's friend had moved on, he introduced Fleur to Tonks.

"So you're who Bill keeps dashing off to see. Do you work at Gringotts?" Tonks moved closer to Fleur to hear her answer.

"Bill," Remus said, "Is she part Velar?"

"Yeah, her Grandma was."

"She's very pretty."

"She's more than that; intelligent, brave, and very strong willed."

"Can you handle that?" Remus joked.

Bill smiled, "handling strong willed women - yeah I think I've been brought up to deal with them."

"So, you know Trish's house mate?"

"Yeah, she works at Gringotts with me. She's over by the drinks there." Bill pointed to one of the many people Remus had been introduced to that night. "Hey you've meet Tonks parents haven't you?"

"Yes," Remus answered cautiously.

"Well how did that go? Just I wanted to introduce Fleur to Mum and Dad."

"I think the fact that I am what I am was a bit of a hurdle when I meet the Tonks'. However, I'm sure that Molly and Arthur will love Fleur. "

"Yeah, I'm worried Fleur and Mum could butt heads …. Hey you and Tonks don't want to come along and be buffers do you?"

Remus faltered for a moment at thinking about how awkward it may be to be present at such a meeting. "If you think it would be beneficial, I can't see why not."

"Great"

There was a loud crash as Tonks toppled to the floor, her drink splashed over Fleur's dress.

"Whops," Tonks said from the floor.

* * *

Tonks sat outside on a cold stone seat in the back yard as Trish sucked on a cigarette. It was past midnight now and both of them were rather tipsy. Back inside Remus was chatting away with Bill and Bill's old school mate.

"So tell me Tonks," Trish asked, "what's it like to sleep with a werewolf?"

Tonks almost fell off her seat in shock. "How'd you know?"

"Amos Diggory told me all about how his son's Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher was a werewolf. This was a year or so ago now, you know before his kid died and all that. But I remember the teacher's name: Remus Lupin." Trish paused to give Tonks a piercing stare, "Anyhow, Diggory thought it had been great for Dumbledore to give a werewolf a job like that."

"Amos Diggory was your head of your department wasn't he?" was all Tonks could think to say.

"Yeah, Poor bloke."

"So," Tonks asked, "are you going to tell me that I should be careful – you know- with my werewolf boyfriend and all?"

Trish butted out her cigarette. "As a matter of fat I do think you need to be careful, but not of being beaten by Remus Lupin. No it's the Ministry you need to be careful of. The feeling towards werewolves has sifted over the last few years. It's wired because there were huge leaps forward in werewolf rights and such 30 or 20 years ago. But people like Umbridge have come along and undone years of work."

Tonks throw her arms around Trish. "Thank you," she said, "it great to know that I've got _you _on my side."

"Damn straight I'm on your side. Always." Said Trish.

* * *

**AN:** Let me know what you think.


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